Episode 716: Nakia VII

Hello friends! Blues singer/community activist, two time Black Fret recipient and my pal, Nakia returns to the show for episode 716! Nakia has a new album, the blues infused, Blues Grifter out on August 17th. He'll be celebrating with a string of release shows with his band, Nakia & The Blues Grifters including August 17th at Luna in San Antonio, August 18th at The Saxon Pub in Austin and more. Go to nakia.net for tour dates, music, videos and more! We have a great conversation about  finally finishing Blues Grifter after years of having shelved it, his "Voices in the Round" shows, learning about blues, arranging the classic blues songs on Blues Grifter the various incarnations of Nakia and much more! Let's get down!
Ciao! -JG

Episode 625: Ray Prim / Reenie Harwood Collins Stops By To Talk About HAAM Day!

My old pal, singer/songwriter, Ray Prim returns to the show for episode 625! His amazing new album, To Whom It May Concern drops next Friday, September 15th and he's celebrating with a release show that same night at The North Door here in Austin. Go to rayprim.com for ticket and album info. Ray and I have a great conversation about making To Whom It May Concern with co-producer, Omar Vallejo, winning a Black Fret grant and what he did with the money, relearning guitar after shoulder sugery, he tries to sell me on "Game of Thrones" and much, much more! It's always a great chat with with this talented and hilarious dude. Plus, Reenie Harwood Collins stops by to talk about HAAM Day (Tuesday, 9/12) and all things HAAM. Go to myhaam.org for a listing of music, venues and participating businesses. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 609: William Harries Graham

My guest for episode 609 is singer/songwriter, Austin Chronicle writer, non-profit founder, Jefferson Scholar in the prestigeous Plan II program at The University of Texas, William Harries Graham! If you live in Austin and have for the last 14 years, you've probably heard or at least heard of William. Many of us have had the honor of watching the 19 year old grow up in front of us. He's been in the studio with his band and producer Stuart Sullivan recording his latest album St. Claire to be released later this year. You can find his last release, the critically acclaimed, Foreign Fields, show listings, videos and more at williamharriesgraham.com. William and I have one of my favorite conversations I've had since I started this show. We talk about his non-profit Music For Music, his amazing bands, the demands of being in the Plan II Program, growing up immersed in a music scene with Jon Dee Graham as his dad, dealing with the disease, Leggs Perthes and how that relates to the Affordable Care Act and much, much more! William is an amazing artist and human being and this really is one of my favorite conversations I've had since this show started. I hope you enjoy it too. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 568: Ian Moore Returns Again!

Hello friends! I'm a little late putting this out because I went to see Sphynx last night and then went and sang karaoke. I was drunk and terrible which is a great combo right? Anyway, Sphynx was incredible. Their new e.p. is out and it's awesome. Other than that, I want to invite you to a storytelling/improv show I'm doing tomorrow at The New Movement Theater here in Austin. It's called The Megaphone Show. I'll be telling stories and then an improv group will act them out. Should be fun. If you're in town, come out and say hi. Here's a link The Megaphone Show
My dear friend, the amazing Ian Moore returns to the show for episode 568! His gorgeous new album, Strange Days comes out next Tuesday, February 21. Ian was in town rehearsing with his new band and they're hitting the road on the west coast starting March 2nd and ending up in Austin for SXSW. Ian and I have a great conversation about making Strange Days and his last e.p. The Noble Art, selling out vs. making a living, his new non-profit, SMASH bringing affordable health care to Seattle musicians, his songwriting workshops, family and much, much more! I hope you enjoy our conversation. I sure did. Let's get down!
ciao!- jg

Episode 528: Walker Lukens / Randy Miller From ALL ATX Stops By!

Hello friends! I hope you had a great weekend. This is a big week in Austin music. The new ALL ATX album, Low Down Violet Crown: Austin Rocks the Blues comes out this Thursday, September, 29th and they're celebrating with a big release show at ACL Moody Theater that same day. The album features 17 tracks with the best of Austin artists covering classic blues rock songs. The concert on Thursday features The Doobie Bros., Bob Schneider, Doyle Bramhall ll, Carolyn Wonderland, Jackie Venson, today's guest Walker Lukens and many more. Randy Miller, producer of the album and the show, stops by to fill us in on all things All ATX. go to allatx.org to find out how and where to buy the album and how o get tickets to the show. 
My guest for episode 528 is the amazing Walker Lukens! Walker is featured on the new All ATX album and he'l be playing the show on Thursday at ACL Moody Theater, but he also has a new e.p. coming out next month. Walker's brilliant new e.p., Never Understood, produced by Jim Eno (Spoon), comes out October 14th on Modern Outsider Records. He'll be playing the ACL Festival on October 8th and playing release shows around Texas in October. We have a great conversation about making Never Understood, growing up in Houston, navigating this crazy music business and much, much more. I hope you enjoy getting to know Walker as much as i did. Let's get down!
Ciao! -jg

Episode 504: Van Wilks Returns!

hello friends! i hope you're having a good week and ready to cruise into the weekend in style. i have no idea what that means, but it sounds nice. if you live in san antonio, my band, skyrocket will be playing at sam's burger joint music hall, tonight, july 8th 2016. come out and get into the festivities that you can only get into by cutting loose with skyrocket on a friday night in s.a.. i'm playing friday, but i'm off saturday and next weekend. slow month for the skyrocket clan. i have no idea what i'm doing on saturday night. maybe some good peeps are playing and i'll see a band or two.
guitar hero, van wilks returns to the show for episode 504! van has a new album out, 21st century blues. i think it's his best and toughest sounding album yet. the more i have these conversations with my elders, the more i am convinced that if you stay inspired and stay true to yourself, you will always grow and your art will always be honest and good. such is the case with van wilks and his first album in ten years, 21st century blues. van and i have another great conversation. i never ceased to be inspired by van and the other amazingly talented people in my life that i look up to. i hope you enjoy our conversation. i sure did. let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 438: The SIMS Foundation Turns 20!

happy thanksgiving everyone! i hope you all have plenty to be thankful for. i'l be missing my family this thanksgiving, but i'll be with my girlfriend's family here in austin and that should be a good time. are you thinking of frying a turkey for thanksgiving? well, my pal, aj vallejo and i have a special thanksgiving edition of "cooking/drinking with johnny and aj" where fry a turkey cajun-style and teach you how to make this delicious and quick way to make your thanksgiving turkey go to our youtube page and learn how to make a fried turkey! i hope you all have a happy thanksgiving!my guests for this very special episode are heather alden, jennifer vocelka and kyle ellison from the SIMS foundation. for 20 years now, the SIMS foundation has provided support for austin musicians and their families. to find out more or just get involved go to simsfoundation.org.  along with the KGSR "live broadcast # 23" release this friday, kyle ellison has produced "friends of SIMS" an album of some of austin's best artists playing some of their favorite covers including, charlie sexton, alejandro escovedo, doyle bramhall ll and many more. we have a great and insightful conversation about mental health care, how SIMS can help and much, much more. i'm thankful for the SIMS foundation. they were there for me when i needed them. i hope you enjoy our conversation. i sure did. happy thanksgiving! ciao! -jg

Episode 425: Freddie Steady Krc

hello friends! i hope this episode finds you all happy and healthy. i am a bit hungover as i celebrated my birthday last night. it was a blast. saw the wonderful dawn & hawkes play, then i had a fabulous dinner, then went to se my old pal aj play and met up with a bunch of friends. great night! if you're in austin tonight, october, 16th and looking for something to do, skyrocket will be playing at the one-2-one bar at 9 pm. come out and party with us.my guest for episode 425 is singer/songwriter/drummer/guitar player/renaissance texan and texas music hall of famer, freddie steady krc! freddie has been a staple on the austin scene since the 1970's when he played drums with the likes of b.w. stevenson, jerry jeff walker, carole king and more. he went on to start the new wave/power pop band, the explosives in the late 70's. then a string of great country and garage rock bands including freddie steady 5, shakin' apostles, freddie steady's wild country and many more. freddie continues to write and play with his many bands, he owns a record label and now runs the austin chapter of the musicians union. freddie and i have an awesome and long conversation about his journey. i hope you enjoy getting to know freddie steady as much as i did. let's get down!ciao! -jg

Episode 411: Max Frost

hello friends! i hope you've all got your labor day weekend plans in order. maybe you're going to the beach or the lake for one last time this summer. this episode is coming out a little late because i shot another episode of "cooking/drinking with johnny & aj". we shot the episode with willy braun at his gorgeous place and he taught us how to make delicious bbq ribs, coleslaw, beans and a whole lot of tito's and lemonade. it's the best one yet! i'll let you know when it's up! hey! i just want to remind you that we have a live podcast coming up next wednesday, july 9th at the townsend right here in austin, tx from 8-10 pm. my guests will be kathy valentine, miles zuniga, amy edwards and emily bell! find out more about the event here.my guest for episode 411 is the amazingly talented musician/songwriter/producer/rockstar, max frost! i headed over to werd media labs and met up with max. his new single, "withdrawal" is out today. you can get it on itunes or at his website maxfrost.net. he's about to head out on tour for the month of october with austin indie darlings, wild child. so max and i had a fantastic conversation about everything from handling quincy jones' oscar, writing songs with and for people, keeping your integrity whie making pop music, why you should put your songs on soundcloud, discovering himself as an artist and much, much more. plus, he does the best bob schneider imitation ever. max is a very smart and aware person and we had a really great conversation. i hope you enjoy getting to know max as much as i did. let's get down!ciao! -jg

Episode 402: Jamie Wellwarth

hello friends! i hope you're all enjoying the this last month of summer. i am. it's really, really hot here in austin. over 100 every day. that gets a little old... but i'll make it! i got to moderate an austin music foundation panel last night on sustaining a career in music. all of the panelists, the amf folks, the one-2-one folks and the audience were all really nice. i had a great time and met a lot of really nice people. i'm looking forward to doing more. my guest for episode 402 is continental club (austin) production manager, member of the nomad sound team and front of house soundman for jane's addiction, jamie wellwarth! people have been hitting me up for a long time about getting jamie on the show. people said we would be total friends and it would be a great conversation. well, that was an understatement. jamie and i had an amazing conversation, running sound for your idols, being a survivor, the continental club, microphones, living sober and much, much more! i really loved getting to know jamie. i'm sure you will too. let's get down! ciao! -jg