Episode 586: Renee' Woodward

Hello friends! I hope you all had a good weekend. Mine was weird. Some fun, some back pain, some emotional drama, i played a show and I was in bed all weekend. Anyway, I'm getting ready to go get a massage which I really need right now. I have some rehearsals with my new band this week. I'm lookng forward to that. I love working on songs and a show. 
My guest for episode 586 is my old friend, singer/songwriter, Renee' Woodward! Renee' has been underground fro the last few years, living life and rasing her daughter. She has resurfaced with a new album, Mayfly, a new eight-piece band and a new resolve to get out and play music again. She's celebrating with a two-night record release show this Friday, April 28th and Saturday, April 29th at The Townsend. You can find Mayfly and find out about the record release shows by going to her website reneewoodwardmusic.com Renee' and I have a great conversation about her journey through music, marriage, motherhood and back to music. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 572: Christine Albert

Hello friends! I hope you all had a great weekend. I had a good one. I played a couple of shows with SKYROCKET!, I got to meet my cousin's new baby, Samuel. SXSW is upon us. It starts this week with the interactive and film festivals. I'll be doing a live podcast next week, Thursday, March 16th at 11 am at the SXSW Podcast Stage in the Brazos Room at the JW Marriot in downtown Austin. My guests will be Aaron Behrens and Jonas Wilson from The Midnight Stroll. It's an official SXSW event, so you'll need a badge. For more info go to SXSW Podcast Stage: How Did I Get Here?.
My guest for episode 572 is singer/songwriter/philanthropist and all-around wonderful person, Christine Albert! You might know Christine from her "TexaFrance" album trilogy or her 6 albums and 20 year partnership with Chris Gage in Albert and Gage or her non-profit, Swan Songs. Christine and I have an amazing conversation about her latest album, Everything's Beautiful Now, her time as the Grammy chair, her dealings with CBS Nashville, starting Swan Songs, dealing with death, her Blue Bell Ice Cream commercial in the 80's and much, much more! I hope you enjoy our conversation. I sure did. Let's get down!
 
ciao! -jg

Episode 571: Dr. Joe

Hello friends! I hope you're all doing well. I'm feeling much better than I have been for the last week. I went to the doctor, she prescribed some steroids for my swollen throat and I'm on the mend. I thnk I got overtaken by allergies. After the big cedar allergy thing in January, I stopped taking all of my allergy meds. Bad move on my part. I was feeling so bad, I thought I had strep throat. Luckily I don't. Hey! If you're on Houston tomorrow, Saturday, March 4th, SKYROCKET! will be playing at Fitzgerald's. We go on at 9. Come out and party with us.
My guest for episode 571 is Joe Sparacino otherwise known as, Dr. Joe! Jane Ellen Bryant told me to get to her "single release" show early a couple of weeks ago so that I could catch the opening band, Dr. Joe. Well I did and I loved it. Joe and I talked after the show and I invited him to come on the podcast. They'll be performing 4 times for SXSW just go to drjoemusic.com to find out where and when and to hear some of his live recordings. Dr. Joe and I have a great conversation about growing up an army brat, going to dental school, playing at dueling piano bars in college, making his album with Frenchie Smith and Sean Rollie and much, much more. I hope you enjoy getting to know this great artist, Dr. Joe. I sure did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 570: Fragile Rock

Hello friends! First off, I have to apologize for not putting out a show on Friday. I actually had an emotional meltdown on Wednesday night which left me exhausted and depressed on Thursday and then i woke up feeling a cold or something coming on on Friday. I played gigs in San Antonio and Houston on Friday and Saturday. I was sick, playing shows and driving all over the place. I spent Sunday sleeping and just laying in bed. Today, I'm going to the Dr. to find out what's going on. Anyway, I'll fill you in on everything on Friday's show. 
My guests for episode 570 are Emily Cawood and Ryan Hill from "the world's only emo puppet band", Fragile Rock! Their brand new e.p., Weepy, came out a few weeks ago and they were featured on NPR's "All Songs Considered" earlier this month. They'll be playing a couple of SXSW shows on Monday, March 13th at Spider House and Sidewinder. Go to fragilerockband.com for more info. Emily and Ryan and I have a great conversation about how leader Brently Heilbron came up with the idea of an emo puppet band while going through a divorce, their songwriting process, their odd audition for "America's Got Talent", the real definition of "disco nap", serious improv, how Bowie would have loved them and much, much more. I hope you enjoy getting to know these creative and entertaining people. I sure did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 497: Sally Allen

hello friends! i hope you're all doing well. summer is upon us. i haven't chosen my summer jam, but i am zeroing in on something and i'll be announcing my summer jam on monday june 20th (which is the first day of summer) at our live recording of episode 500 at the townsend here in austin. i've been consulting with some friends who taking making a decision on a summer jam a priority in their lives. so, let us know what your summer jam is. post it on our "how did i get here?" facebook page. maybe you can turn me on to something i haven't heard yet.
my guest for episode 497 is singer/songwriter, sally allen. sally just put out an amazing new album, eight track sessions that she recorded on her own on an eight track recorder. sally is also one of the shiny soul sisters singing back-up for recent guest, shinyribs. her cover of tom petty's "refugee" is featured on the friends of sims album that came earlier this year. sally and i had a great conversation about recording eight track sessions, touring with shinyribs, meeting robert plant and much, much more! i hope you enjoy getting to know sally. i sure did. let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 495: Charlie Faye and The Fayettes

hello people! i hope you're all doing well. it seems like it hasn't stopped raining for like a month here in austin. there's flash flooding, you can't go swimming, when it stops raining and the sun comes out, the outside world becomes a steam sauna... it's really kinda gross. i'm playing a couple of shows with skyrocket this weekend and i'm really glad they're both inside shows. speaking of which, we'll be playing at the mercer street dance hall in dripping springs on friday, june 3rd and at the continental club in houston on saturday, june 4th. if you live in those towns are interested, you can find out more about us at skyrockettheband.com
singer/songwriter, charlie faye returns to the show for episode 495! she has a new musical project, a new band and a new album with a fresh take on the 60's girl group sound and look. the self-titled, charlie faye & the fayettes comes out next friday, june 10th. the first single "sweet little messages" is already getting great reviews and has charted on the americana music charts. the core of the group is charlie and her two amazing back-up singers, akina adderly and betty soo, but just like the great girl group records of the sixties, charlie faye & the fayettes is a who's who of amazing studio musicians, including members of elvis costello and the attractions, jellyfish, lone justice and more. go to charliefayeandthefayettes.com to find out where they're playing and how to get the album. i hope you enjoy my conversation with charlie faye. i sure did. let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 489: Bonnie Whitmore

hello friends! i hope this episode finds you living the dream. i'm good. i have tonight (friday) off, so i'm going to see john evans' record release show. zuri and i also got invited to a special "invite only" acoustic show before the actual show, so i guess we're making it a john evans night! heads up! the austin music foundation is having a panel next wednesday, may 18th at 7pm called, "recording your music: how? when? why?". the panel will take place at the legendary arlyn studios here in austin. panelists include dwight baker, mark hallman, gina fant-saez, jacob sciba and i will be moderating it. just go to austinmusicfoundation.org  for more info and to rsvp. see you there!
my guest for episode 489 is the amazing singer/songwriter, bonnie whitmore! bonnie is about to make a new album and needs your help so she started a pledgemusic campaign. check it out at pledgebonnie.com 25% of all donations go to planned parenthood. bonnie and i had a great conversation about naming her new album, fuck with sad girls, dealing with sexual abuse through music, the detrimental effects of growing up on disney movies, having a female support network, her electronic project, coyotes: life and after life (only available when you donate to her pledge campaign) and much, much more. i had a blast getting to know bonnie. i'm sure you will too. let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 448: The Trishas

hello friends! i hope you're all doing well. i should be doing well. i'm spending the christmas week with my family in houston and these shows have all been lade in advance and i'm taking a legitimate week off from my work. i don't do that much. some weeks are slow with skyrocket, solo stuff or the podcast, but i never really just "unplug" for a week and not do any work. i'm looking forward to this break. hopefully, i'm enjoying it. my guests for episode 448 are americana darlings, the trishas! yes. i know they're not currently "super-active" as a band, but i have been trying to get them on the show since i started it. luckily they were playing some shows in new york, south texas and austin a few weeks ago and i got them to stop by bright and early one morning after a show. it was even more fun and hilarious than i imagined it would be. these are some of the most talented, hard working, prolific artists i know. they're also the most entertaining group of people to be around. i hope they work together more simply because something magical happens when they're together. i hope you enjoy my morning with the trishas as much as i did. let's get down!ciao! -jg

Episode 445: The Welch Family (Kevin, Dustin & Savannah) / Dwight Twilley Checks In!

hello friends! i hope you all had a great weekend! i did. i was back in the saddle with skyrocket. we went to houston and played a corporate christmas party. it was good, but i didn't feel well during the show. like the whole show. i soldiered through though. came back to austin on saturday, did this podcast with the welches took a two-hour nap and played hanover's with skyrocket. i felt much better. we had a good time. i'm struggling with wearing earplugs on stage... i hate it.episode 445 is a super-sized episode loaded with extra goodness! first up, i have a quick skype conversation with power pop legend and one of my heroes, dwight twilley! dwight is playing a solo acoustic show THIS thursday, december 17th at the hole in the wall here in austin, tx. here's some more info on the show twilley @ the hole in the wall anyway, dwight and i catch up since our last chat (around a year ago) about playing solo shows, his art book, smoking and more! it's a good time. next up, we're joined by kevin, dustin and savannah welch! they're taking their "welch family throwdown" around texas this week. they'll be in wimberley, the woodlands and ft. worth. find out more here welch family throwdown we have a fantastic conversation about making music as a family, dustin's non-profit, soldier songs, kevin's songwriting retreats, nashville then vs. now, broadway faces and much, much more! i love the welches. i'm sure you will too. let's get down! ciao! -jg

Episode 439: Dan Dyer

hello friends! i hope you all had a fantastic thanksgiving! i had a really good one. my girlfriend zuri and i went to her family's house and had a great dinner. of course, i ate too much, tried not to fall asleep watching football after dinner then played a trivia game. good times. today is black friday. i hope you're having a successful one if you're one of the millions that go out and try to get the "super-deals". skyrocket is playing a show tonight (fri. 11/27) in austin at the one-2-one bar. we go on at 10. come out and celebrate the holiday with us! (i just made "black friday" a holiday)my guest for episode 439 is the amazing singer/songwriter, dan dyer! dan and i have known each other for over 20 years. he's a phenomenal talent and a super sweet and real cat. he's a black fret nominee and has the honor of performing at their black ball gala at the paramount theater in austin, tx next friday, december 4th along with a host of other nominees. you can find out all about it at black fret info dan has a new e,p,, singing river sessions available now. go to dandyer.com to find out where to get it and when you can see dan live. dan and i have a fantastic conversation about his journey from breedlove to working with lenny kravitz, jingle singing in new york city, getting into working with his hands and much, much more. i hope you all had a great thanksgiving. i am very grateful for you. let's get down!ciao! -jg