Episode 663: Kenny Sharretts

Hello everyone! Drum tech, drummer, educator and first-class motivator, Kenny Sharretts is my guest for episode 663! As a drum tech, Kenny's worked with some of the very best including, Stevie Wonder, Rihanna, Janet Jackson, Train, Puff Daddy and many, many more. As drummer, you might have seen him with Monte Montgomery, Kevin Fowler, Joe King Carrasco, Rusty Wier or his own bands, Super Fleek, So Called Underground Music, Custard Pie and many, many more. You might also know him from his many amazing Youtube videos about drum tuning. He actually has a drum tuning clinic coming up on Monday, February 5th Tommy's Drum Shop presents: Austin Drummers Co-Op at One-2-One Bar from 7-8 pm. I was calling it "ATX Drumming and Social Club" but it's actually called "Austin Drummers Co-Op". You can find out all about the clinic and Kenny's music, tutorials etc. at kennysharretts.net Kenny and I have a great conversation about working with Puff Daddy, Stevie Wonder, Kenny Aronoff, Train and more, crazy yet practical drum tricks, American Idol and much, much more! After my conversation with Kenny, I was fired up and ready to go do something. He's a great guy and I had a great time getting to know him. I'm sure you will too. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 644: Dylan Jones / Ley Line Stops By!

Hello friends! My guest for episode 644 is bass player, Dylan Jones! Dylan is a founding member of world music band, Atash. They have won "Besy World Music Band" at the Austin Music Awards for the last six years. you can find them at Atash.com He's also played with Zoe Vaiccaji, Pilar Andular, Neal Pollack and many, many more! Neal also co-founded anthroposarts.org Anthropos Arts connects at-risk youth with professional musicians, cultivating confidence, integrity, and life skills through musical instruction and mentorship. Dylan and I have a great conversation about discovering music, his first bands, what made him start Anthropos Arts and much, much more! Plus, Ley Line checks in. They've just released a gorgeous new single,  “Respiração (The Breath)”  and they're celebrating with a release show at Radio Coffee and Beer here in Austin, TX on Thursday, November 30th. They're an amazing band and if you live in Austin, do yourself a favor and go see these talented women. You can hear  “Respiração” and their other music and find out when and where they're playing by going to leylinesound.com Have a great weekend. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 602: Laura Scarborough Returns!

Hola amigos y amigas! Hope you all had a great weekend. I had a weekend jam-packed with travel, gigs and a vodka-soaked, Sunday Funday with my pal, Daisy O'Connor. It was a lot of fun, but terribly exhausting. SKYROCKET! is back at it this week with a private show on Thursday and we'll be back at Fitzgerald's in Houston on Friday, June 23rd and Cedar Street Courtyard in Austin on saturday, June 24th. Come out and party with us!
The amazingly talented Laura Scarborough returns to the show for episode 602. She's just released her first album in 15 years, the gorgeous, Reflection. The album is available on all mediums including vinyl. She's also released a book "Refelction: The Book" that accompanies the album. You can find all of this stuff at laurascarborough.com.  We have a great conversation about what Laura's been up to for the last 15 years since her last solo album, working with Golden Dawn Arkestra, making Reflection, living a creative life, hula-hooping and much, much more! I hope you enjoy our conversation. I sure did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 600: Live at The Townsend w/ Nakia, Jane Ellen Bryant, Jaimee Harris & A.J. Vallejo

Hello friends! Here is episode 600, recorded in front of a live audience last Monday, June 5th at The Townsend here in Austin, TX. I want to thank everyone who came out and celebrated with us, The Townsend for having us, Carles Zanetti for recording the show and running sound, you for listening and my wonderful guests, Nakia, Jane Ellen Bryant, Jaimee Harris and A.J. Vallejo! We have an insane conversation about new albums, upcoming tours and reunions, Jaimee's much anticipated album, Nakia and Jane's adventures in reality television, what happened when A.J. misspelled Queen in a Google search and much, much more! This is a fun, loose and slightly offensive show. I hope you enjoy it. I sure did. Thank you so much for listening to this show. It's been a true blessing in my life to connect with my music community and to bring this show to you guys. Thank you. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 590: Suzanna Choffel Is Back!

Hello friends! I hope you all had a good weekend doing weekend things and what not. I played all weekend. I played with SKYROCKET! on Friday and Saturday nights in Dripping Springs and San Antonio. Then Sunday i played at The Pecan Street Festival with my new band. It was a great time, but I hurt my back during the show. I'm on the mend. Gang, I want to remind you that we are celebrating our 600th episode with a live podcast recording at The Townsend in Austin, TX on Monday, May 5th at 8pm. My guests will be A.J. Vallejo, Nakia, Jaimee Harris and Jane Ellen Bryant. Find out more about it here!
My guest for episode 590 was our very first guest and has appeared on this show more times than I can count. The amazing Suzanna Choffel returns to the show! Her gorgeous new album, Hello Goodbye, comes out this Friday, May 12th. She'll be celebrating the release with a few special shows this weekend. She's playing Friday, May 12th at 3Ten Austin City Limits Live and Saturday, May 13th at The Mucky Duck in Houston. You can go to suzannachoffel.com for more info and to hear her new single, "Go Forth". Suzanna and I have a great conversation about making Hello Goodbye, motherhood, her years of travel and experience that led to Hello Goodbye and much, much more. I always love my conversations with Suzanna. I'm sure you will too. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

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 580: Scott Collins & Lexi Cardenas

Hello friends! I hope you all had a great weekend and that things are all going your way. Things are good here. I am still kinda tired from my crazy week/weekend of SKYROCKET! shows. The convention we were playing (check the intro on ep. 579) took a step into the world of the insane on Thursday night when Vanilla Ice showed up for soundcheck and didn't like what he heard. I talk all about it in the intro. By the way, if the intro sounds a little different, it's because i recorded it in my hotel room on Saturday night before my gig. Hope you enjoy it.
Scott Collins and Lexi Cardenas are my guests for episode 580! Their gorgeous new e.p., Let's Start Here comes out this Saturday, April 8th and they're celebrating with an e.p. release show this Saturday at The Blackheart here in Austin. Scott was on a few months ago when he had just opened his studio, Chicken Run Studios andsince then I've run into him and kept in touch. He's a really sweet and cool guy. You can find out their schedule and hear their music at scottcollinsproject.com. Scott and Lexi and I have a great conversation about making Let's Start Here, how they met, what constitutes a "hat guy" or a "hat band", Lexi's years in El Paso, violin vs. fiddle and much, much more! I hope you enjoy our conversation. I sure did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 573: gum B

Hello friends! Well, it's official, SXSW is underway. Not the music part yet, but the whole thing is up and running. If you don't live in Austin, you don't have to deal with even more insisne traffic, no parking anywhere, people walkng into the streets looking at their phone and cursing you if you almost run over them. It gets nuts. having said that, if you're here for SXSW or you live here and you know how to do it, it can be a pretty fun time. I'll be going to a lot of events this year even though I'll only have a one-day badge for Thursday. Looking forward to the podcasts I have lined up. Should be fun.
My guest for episode 573 is my dear old friend, bassist/cellist, Mark Williams a.k.a. gum B! You might know gum B from his work with Kevin and Dustin Welch, Dan Dyer, Alejandro Escovedo, Stick People and many more. We have a fantastic conversation about baseball, growing up in South Florida, living in an Ashram, Stick People, fretless bass, playing 6th St and much, much more! I hope you enjoy our conversation. I sure did. Let's get down! 
ciao! -jg

Episode 567: Jane Ellen Bryant Returns!

Hello friends! I hope you're all having a decent Valentine's Day. I have no plans. I don't want to participate in a day that magnifies my relationship short-comings and loneliness. However, it's going to be happening al around me today, so I should just stay in. I DID just hit an all-time low a little while ago, My grandma called to wish me a happy Valentine's Day. Now, I know that's sweet, but there is a level of sadness to knowing that she woke up this morning thinking, "No one is going to wish Johnny a happy Valentine's Day today. I better do it, so that he knows someone loves him". Happy Valentine's Day!
The amazingly talented and always entertaining, Jane Ellen Bryant returns to the show today! Jane's brilliant, new single, "All In My Head" drops THIS Friday, February 17th. The song was co-produced by Jane and the great Chris "Frenchie" Smith and recorded at The Bubble. She's having a single release show this Friday February 17th at C-Boy's Heart & Soul here in Austin, TX. To get the single or Jane's latest e.p. Twenties and find out where she's playing, go to janeellenbryant.com. Jane and I sat down an hour before the innauguration and had a great conversation about co-producing "All In My Head", the innauguration, playing shows, keeping a band together and much, much more. I hope you enjoy my conversation with this amazingly talented woman. I sure did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 541: Mandy Rowden Returns!

Hello friends! I hope you all had a fantastic weekend. Mine was good. I went to the Mac & Cheese Festival on Sunday with my friend A.J.. It was a pretty amazing experience that ended in possibly worst stmach ache I've ever had. What happened was, I went to the festival hungry. They were toally over-serving and I ate the whole 5-8 pounce servings right off the bat. There were tons of different cheeses including Gorgonzola, Bleu Cheese and other crazy cheeses mixed with bacon, chorizo, pork, brisket and anything else you can imagine. I say, if you go, only taste the mac & cheese and you'll be fine. You can watch our adventures at The Mac & Cheese Festival on our show "Cooking/Drinking with Johnny & AJ"
Singer/songwriter, Mandy Rowden returns to the show for episode 541! Mandy has just released a new album, 1,000 Miles and has been touring behind it. In fact, she's been touring since she was last on the show promoting her album, These Bad Habits which was #2 in The Austin Chronicle Music Awards. Mandy came by a few weeks ago and we talked about touring, making 1,000 Miles, strange times at The Americana Music Awards, Girl Guitar Austin and the opening of Girls Guitar Nashville and much, much more. I hope you enjoy our conversation. I sure did. Let's get down!