Episode 546: Monte Warden

Hello friends! I hope you're all doing well. I am. I got to play at The "Eye Love Savannah" show that my friend Todd Wolfson put together on Monday at Monkey Nest. I was honored to be a part of the music, but even more, I was honored to be a part of my community. It's sad to have to get together because something unfortunate has happened to a memebr of our tribe, but it's amazing how quickly and how powerfully we come together as a community to lend support and raise money for our own. It was very moving to see and hug savannah for the first time since her accident and I'm very glad she's still in our lives. You can still donate to her gofundme page every bit makes a difference. 
Legendary singer/songwriter and frontman for Americana pioneers, The Wagoneers, Monte Warden! I played a show with Monte and his new band, Monte Warden and the Dangerous Few a few weeks ago and invited him to be on the show. I haven't seen him in the last 15 years or so and was pleasantly surprised to see how much music he's written for others including, Carrie Underwood and Goerge Strait and many more. We have a great conversation about how he discovered music, going from cease and desist orders with The Wagoneers to recording a new album and playing a residency, getting sober and why, the idea behiind the jazzy country of Monte Warden and the Dangerous Few, getting his song "Desperately" recorded by George Strait and much, much more. I hope you enjoy our conversation. I sure did. Let's get down!
 
Ciao! -JG

Episode 544: David Halley / Nomad City Stops By

Hello friends! I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and you're living that "Black Friday" dream. You know the dream, the one where you don't have to be with your crazy family anymore and there are tons of leftovers that you can eat cold, right out of the fridge. The people you're tired of hanging out with are the kind of people that go shopping on "Black Friday", so you're happy they're gone. Hey! If you're in Houston tonight, Friday, Novermber 25th, SKYROCKET! is playing at Fitzgerald's! Come out and say hi. Also, it's a fabulous escape from your family. 
 
My guest for episode 544 is legendary singer/songwriter, David Halley. David has a new album coming out, A Month Of Somedays on December 6th. A Month Of Somedays is David's first album since the classic, Stray Dog Talk over 20 years ago. He's playing a record release show here in Austin next Saturday December 3rd at 9:30 pm at The Townsend. David and i have a great conversation about what he's been up to for the last 20 years, working on A Month Of Somedays with Will Sexton and J.D. Foster, fatherhood and much, much more. I love David Halley and his music. It was a real treat to get to talk to him. Plus, Brit and Ray from Nomad City stop by and talk about their e.p. release show next Thursday, December 1st at The Mohawk. Big show. Good times. Let's get down! 
 
ciao! -jg

Episode 543: Scott Collins Project

Hello friends! I hope you're having a great time preparing for Thanksgiving. Hopefully you're not fighting with family about what happened in the election and after, deflate-gate, is "Saturday Night Live" still good and all that stuff. I'll be heading to Houston to see the family. Plus, SKYROCKET!'s playing Fitzgerald's in Houston on Friday. On Thanksgiving eve, we'll be playing at Don Strange Ranch in Boerne, TX. You can find out about both shows by going to skyrockettheband.com and looking up our tour dates. I hope you all have a very happy Thanksgiving. I'm Thankful for all of you. 
My guest for episode 543 is singer/songwriter/studio owner, Scott Collins from The Scott Collins Project! If you're listening to this the day it comes out, Tuesday, November 22nd, at The Mohawk here in Austin. Go to Scottcollinsproject.com to find out where they're playing and to get their e.p., Sleeper and more. Scott and I have a great conversation about working with the great Frenchy Smith and the legendary Hunt Sales, opening a new studio with world-famous engineer Chet Himes, his time living in his car and much, much more! I had a great time getting to know Scott. I'm sure you will too. Happy Thanksgiving!
 
ciao! -jg

Episode 537: Nomad City

Hello friends! I hope this episode finds you happy, healthy and ready for the weekend. As usual, I'm heading out of town with SKYROCKET! for the next couple of days to play some shows. Oh! I want to let you know that my band, Ladyband Johnson is playing next Friday, November 4th at The Continental Club here in Austin. The band is Kathy valentine, Dominique Davalos and Christina Comley from The Bluebonnets with me as the singer. Come out. It's rock and roll! Go to the Facebook event page for more info. 
My guests for episode 537 are Britny Lobas and Ray Kainz from Austin rock band, Nomad City! Their self-titled, debut e.p. comes out on December 1st, but you can get a taste of the music and the band if you check out their new video for the song, "Didn't Have a Gun" by going to their website nomadcityband.com. They'll be playing an e.p. release show on December 1st at The Mohawk here in Austin. I have a great conversation with Ray and Britny about moving to Austin from the midwest, growing up in musical families, the rock scenes in Detroit and Cleveland, making their new e.p. at The Orb with Matt Novesky and much, much more! i hope you enjoy getting to know Brit and Ray as much as I did. Let's get down! 
ciao! -jg

Episode 534: Matt The Electrician Returns!

Hello friends! I hope you all had a good weekend. I played in San Antonio on Friday and Houston on Saturday. They were good shows, but I had a rough time because my allergies have been so bad. I had a hard time singing both nights. Anyway, I woke up today feeling better than I have in a couple of weeks. Maybe I'm getting a handle on these allergies which is great because I would love to go out and see some music this week. 
Matt The Electrician returns to the show for episode 534! Matt has been releasing a new 7" single featuring two songs per single. Each release is a collaboration with different artists like Dana Falconberry, Little Brave, Wilson Marks Trio and Wood & Wire. I urge you to buy these. They're amazing works of art both visually and musically. find them at mattheelectrician.com He just toured the west coast with Seela and Little Brave and performed at the 15th annual Austin City Limits Festival. If you live in Austin, Matt will be kicking off "Unplugged on the Front Porch" at All Saints Episcopal Church, this Thursday, October 20th. You can find out all about it at frontporchaustin.org. Matt and I have a great conversation about making these 7" singles and the collaborations, House of Songs, the songwriting game, keeping a healthy home life while touring and much, much more. I hope you enjoy our conversation. I sure did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 533: Amy Edwards & The Hi-Fis

Hello friends! I hope you're all doing well. Things are good here. It's my birthday today. I'm going to the dentist and then going to San Antonio to play at Sam's Burger Joint Music Hall with SKYROCKET!. I feel like I've been fighting off sickness or allergies or whatever it is that i have had for a week. Some days I'm winning, some days i'm losing. I'm pretty sure I'l prevail. I want to let you guys know that my band, Lady Band Johnson is playing on Friday November 4th at The Continental Club here in Austin. I'll post a link to the facebook event page when we make one. 
My guests for episode 533 are Yates Hagan and Amy Edwards from Amy Edwards & The Hi-Fi's! Their new single, a searing cover of The Carpenters "Superstar" is out today! Amy and Yates have gone through some restructuring of their project. They've stripped the live band down to just the two of them. Bringing out a raw, rock approach to their songs. We have a great conversation about the changes they've gone through, recording "Superstar" with AJ Vallejo, making videos and much, much more. I love these guys and I'm sure you will too. Have a great weekend. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 531: Glen Phillips Returns! / Tom Meny Stops by!

Hello friends! I hope our friends in Florida and the southeast are all safe and sound from the hurricane cruising up the east coast. Things are okay in my world. I'm sick and i have shows all weekend. That's always a stressful situation. in SKYROCKET!, there are a lot of other singers that can sing songs so it's not as bad, but i'm supposed to sing three songs at this John Lennon birthday celebration benefit show on Sunday and i want to be okay for that. Here's a link to the Lennon show, link to Lennon show It's a great band and lots of great guest singers and all for a great cause. do it!
My guest for episode 531 is singer/songwriter, Glen Phillips! You might know Glen as the front man for Toad The Wet Sprocket and he was on the show like 4 years ago. Well, Glen has a gorgeous new album out, Swallowed By the New out today, Friday October 7th! He'll be touring through Texas next week go to glenphillips.com for tour info and to pick up the album. We have a great conversation about Swallowed By the New, the dissolution of his 23 year marriage, finding his happiness, accepting mortality, moving to Nashville and much, much more! Plus, Tom Meny stops by to talk about his brilliant new ep, Love & Pay out Friday, October 14th! Thanks for listening. 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 526: George Reiff Returns!

Hello friends! I hope this episode finds you all doing well and ready for fall. My guest for episode 526 is the amazingly talented bass player/producer/mixer and my dear old friend, George Reiff! George has been undergoing treatment for cancer since a brain tumor was discovered a couple of months ago. He had the tumor removed, but has been undergoing radiation treatment and a new experimental treatment. He has insurance, but all of this treatment is expensive and he's not been able to work since he was diagnosed. To help with bills, people have organized some beautiful benefits and there is a gofundme.com page where anyone can donate. I encourage you to donate. Here's the link https://www.gofundme.com/georgereiff George and I have a great conversation about producing and mixing albums, new pop music, fighting cancer, our music family that has shown so much support and much, much more. I hope you enjoy our conversation. I sure did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 523: Elijah Ford & The Bloom

Hello friends! I hope you all had a good weekend. I had a busy one. Thursday night I moderated a panel at The Austin Video Music Festival and afterwards met up with some friends and saw the great Eric Tessmer. Friday i headed to Houston to play a couple of shows with SKYROCKET! Saturday afternoon before my gig, I went to my little cousin's 5th birthday and hung out with my family and a lot of children and parents. Sunday, I came back to Austin and interviewed Nakia at The Soul of a Musician series. Long weekend.Good times.
My guests for episode 523 are Elijah Ford and Chris Konte from Elijah Ford & The Bloom! Their rocking new album, As You Were comes out this Friday, September 16th on Nine Mile Records. Elijah and and his uncle Chris came by last week and we had a great conversation about collaborating on writing and recording, making As You Were, the term, "youngcle", coming from a family of musicians, our love of the power pop band, Jellyfish, Project ATX6 and much, much more. It was great getting to hang out and getting to know these guys. I hope you enjoy our conversation. I sure did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg