Episode 583: Redd Volkaert

One of Austin's greatest musicians, Barry "Frosty" Smith passed away on Wednesday. He was 71. His vast and impressive list of credits includes Funkadelic, Lee Michaels, Sly and the Family Stone, Jimmie Vaughan, Soulhat, Papa Mali, Delbert Mclinton and many, many more. I was lucky to get see him play so many times over the years and it was always an inspiring experience. The last time I saw him was around three years ago at the Continental Club Gallery where he was playing with Mike Flanigin.  That night, I saw the master at work and then got to exchange a few words after. Rest in peace Frosty. Thank you for the groove. We'll miss you.
My guest for episode 583 is the amazingly talented guitar legend, Redd Volkaert! You might know Redd from his work with Brad Paisley, George Jones, Tim Mcgraw, Dolly Parton, his years with Merle Haggard and many, many more. He's put out several albums and instructional videos. If you live in Austin, you can see him every Saturday at 3:30 pm at The Continental Club and every Sunday at 7:00 pm with his band, Haybale at The Continental Club as well. Redd and I have a great conversation about growing up in Canada, falling in love with the guitar, his years in California, playing with Merle Haggard, what inspires him and much, much more! I hope you enjoy getting to know Redd. I sure did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 560: "Honky Tonk Heaven: The Legend of the Broken Spoke" Co-director, Brenda Greene Mitchell

Hello friends! Well, it's today. This strange day we've all been anxious about. Wether you're excited about this president or bummed, there's still an odd level of anxiety about all of this change. A lot of people in my circle are gong to be marching against this guy in Austin tomorrow. I'm not. I really don't think that's gonna do much for anyone except make you feel like you marched and no one outside of your fellow marchers cared about your march. That's just me. I just hope we can all find a way to get along and I hope this guy isn't as bad as he's making it seem he'll be. Good luck to all of us. 
My guest for episode 560 is "Honky Tonk Heaven: The Legend of the Broken Spoke" co-director, Brenda Greene Mitchell! This brilliant documentary tells the story of the legendary Texas honky tonk, The Broken Spoke here in Austin. The story is told through charismatic and tenacious owners, James and Annetta White and includes interviews with such legends as, Willie Nelson, Jerry Jeff Walker, Jesse Dayton and more! I've had the pleasure of knowing Brenda since I was 11 or 12. She has always been passionate about music and has owned clubs, promoted shows and benefits. The movie is brilliant and touching and you can find it at brokenspokefilm.com I hope you enjoy my conversation with my dear, old friend, Brenda. I sure did. Let's get down!
 
ciao! -jg

Episode 557: Barbara Nesbitt

Hey gang! I hope you're all thawing out after the freezing winter weather that engufed most of the United States this weekend. I actually have my windows open today and it's really nice out. With all of the freezing weather this weekend, my gig on Friday got cancelled and i ended up staying home Friday and Saturday night. I'm glad we don't have long winters here because just after two days, I start to go nuts and get really depressed. So sad and confused that I gave in to a Red Lobster "Shrimp-fest" commercial... I talk aboutit in the intro. 
Singer/songwriter, Barbara Nesbitt is my guest for epsiode 557! Her fourth solo album, the gorgeous, Right As Rain comes out this Friday, January 13th and she's playing a release show at Strange Brew Loungeside here in Austin on Saturday, January 14th. Barbara and I have a great conversation about co-producing Right As Rain, playing in a jam band in her teens in Virginia, long singing engagments in China, The Whiskey Sisters and much, much more! To find out where and when she's playing go to barbaranesbitt.com I hope you enjoy getting to know Barbara. I sure did. Let's get down! 
 
ciao! -jg

Episode 493: Shinyribs

hello friends! are you feeling that TGIF feeling you get on the friday of a three-day holiday weekend? me neither. but some people really do feel that feeling. i've felt it before... the last time was probably in the 80's, but i remember it well. having plans that involved a beach or some kind of backyard bbq with booze, bathing suits and a pool. anyway, i'm going to be staying at my ex's house with my dogs. that'll be fun. i'll be playing a couple of shows with skyrocket and hanging out with my girlfriend, zuri. i hope you have a good weekend. 
my guest for episode 493 is the amazing singer/songwriter/performer, kevin russell from the band, shinyribs! i have been watching kevin play since 1989 when he was in the shreveport, la band, the picket line coyotes. kevin moved to austin with that band and when the coyotes ran their course, they split up and kevin started the gourds and went on to play with them for 18 years. the gourds career is covered in the amazing documentary, "all the labor". anyway, as the gourds were fading, kevin started shinyribs and three brilliant albums later, shinyribs is touring and going full-steam bringing their funky/soul/honky tonk happiness to thousands of people a year. i had a great time getting to know kevin. i'm sure you will too. let's get down!
ciao! jg

Episode 464: Daniel Thomas Phipps

hello friends! i hope you are recovering from back-to-back holidays, valentine's day and president's day. the office in my apartments is closed for president's day so i guess that's a pretty big one. i hope you all have a great week this week. if you are in the austin or round rock area, skyrocket (the band i'm in) will be playing this weekend around austin. on friday we'll be at hanover's in pflugerville, then saturday, we'll be at the one-2-one bar in sunny south austin! go to skyrockettheband.com for times and directions. my guest for episode 464 is brilliantly talented singer/songwriter/frontman/sideman and good man, daniel thomas phipps! daniel came by a few weeks ago and we sat down, did the podcast then i accidentally deleted it, but he was nice enough to come by and do it again the next day. you might know daniel from his own band, daniel thomas phipps and the kinfolk or you may know him as a sideman with little brave, brandy zdan and most currently, he became a member of emily bell and the talkbacks. anyway, daniel and i have a great conversation about growing up in new braunfels, writing songs, solo vs. band, frontman vs. sideman and much, much more! i hope you enjoy getting to know daniel as much as i did. let's get down!ciao! -jg

Episode 452: Love & Chaos

hello friends! i hope you're easing into 2016 in style and with grace. it's been a lazy year so far... i didn't do much this weekend except clean up, make some food, go to the grocery store, eat and watch movies. zuri and i watched a cool show called, "the man in the high castle" on amazon. it's about the world if the axis powers had won world war 2 and divided the country on ha;f be tween the japanese and the nazis. i recommend it. it's "free week" in austin, so of you're in town, get out and see some music. i'll be at the volstead in austin tonight (tues 1/5) opening for my friend and former band mate, nathan harlan. we start at 9. come out!my guests for episode 452 are kendall beard and aj vallejo from the band, love & chaos! they just released their self-titled debut e.p. on friday. they're playing a record release show on jan 14th at the saxon pub here in austin. you can find out where and when they're playing by going to loveandchaosmusic.com kendall and aj are great friends of mine and we have a great conversation about the new ep, writing songs together, new babies, how music is distributed, making videos and much, much more! i hope you enjoy getting to know kendall and aj. they're two of my favorite people and i bet they'll be two of yours too when you finish this podcast. 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 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 423: Ashley Monical Returns!

hello friends! i hope this episode finds you enjoying columbus day. maybe you're off and you're taking a walk in the nice weather or out driving around meeting people and telling them about the fabulous podcast you've been listening to. my birthday is wednesday and i'm trying to get my head around getting older. aging. it's becoming a reality. in just a few years i'm going to be 50 years old. nobody wants to be 50. am i right? i mean, 40 was a big pill to swallow, but it's not so rough. you'll still get, "wow! i thought you were in your early 30's.". not anymore, man. i don't get that at all really. anyway, not sure what my plans are, but i'm sure you'll hear about it later in the week.my guest for episode 423 is talented, angelic singer/songwriter, ashley monical! ashley returns to the show as she prepares for the release of her new album, facing the shadow which comes out this friday 10/16. if you live in austin, ashley will be playing a special release show this saturday, 10/17 at the saxon pub at 2 pm where she will perform, facing the shadow from front to back with a full band. if you're not in austin, simply go to ashleymonical.com and find out when she'll be in a town near you. so, ashley came by a few weeks ago and we had a fantastic conversation about extremely friendly fans, sober-dating, trans-glasses, making facing the shadow and much, much more! ashley is a great hang. just listen and find out through our entertaining conversation. let's get down! ciao! -jgciao! -jg

Episode 381: Mark Proct

hello friends! i hope you all had a good memorial day weekend. there was crazy rain, flooding and general old-testament-style devastation here in austin. i want to tell you guys about some solo shows i have coming up this week. tonight, tuesday, may 26th i'll be playing at the volstead in austin. i'll be playing at 10 right after last friday's guest, the big fix and right before one of my favorite people, kayce laine from nyc. thursday, may 28th, i'll be playing at 502 bar in san antonio at 9pm opening for one of my best friends, joseph king from nyc. and friday, 5/29, SKYROCKET! will be rocking hanover's in pflugerville at 10 pm. my guest for episode 381 is music business veteran, mark proct! mark shares his journey through 40 years in this business working as a roadie, soundman, tour manager, manager and everything in between with the likes of willie nelson, asleep at the wheel, jerry jeff walker, the fabulous thunderbirds, stevie ray vaughan, the vaughan brothers, the arc angels, storyville, vallejo and more. that whole time, mark had a camera and was documenting his exciting trip with all of these legendary musicians and has just put out an amazing and gorgeous book, "home today gone tomorrow", which is a collection of candid photos and stories spanning a 40 year career in this crazy business. mark and i sat down last week and went through the book and his life for 2 whole hours and here it is. i hope you enjoy it. i sure did. let's get down!ciao! -jg