audials apps

Songwriter Brenden Bosmans is a prolific writer who records in his home studio, writing and recording a complete song in one day.  He also loves Martin Guitars and tells us why.

Parents' Choice Award-Winning Artist Jon Lewis of Mr. Jon & Friends talks about his transition into performing kids music.

Cape Cod native Bob Thatcher explains how his song 'Cape Cod Christmastime' was born.

Players have definite opinions on whether Martin Guitars are better than Taylor Guitars, and vice versa.  Here is my take on the subject.

Piedmont Blues finger-style guitarist Bill Sovitsky tells us when and how he started playing guitar, and why he chose Piedmont-style blues.

Heath J Hardin aka 'Olds Sleeper' and 'Jellyspine Jenkins' writes and records his songs on a Zoom H2 portable recorder.  He's the king of low-fi production.  His active 'I wonder what that would sound like' mind has conjured up 29+ album projects of mostly original compositions.  Join me for a fun conversation.

Acoustic musician and guitar collector Max Honn lost his battle with pancreatic cancer several days ago.  He was a wonderful man.  I'm a better person for having known him.  Here is my conversation with Max from several years ago.

Retired educator Guy Hofer grew up in Chicago listening to his father play fiddle for the Kenosha Cornhuskers.  His musical life began playing a ukulele with three broken strings.  A Gibson hollow body electric gave way to an Italian acoustic 6-string.  His retirement gift to himself was a Martin.  Guy talks about music, teaching French and Spanish, and throws in a good story about the Oscar Mayer jingle.

I discuss the different stages of recording 'Fredericktowne Christmas'... warts and all.  ;-)

Check out a preview of my new song 'Fine To Me', then listen to my friend Mitch Scott talk about his life of adventure - JFK 50 Mile Race, Hang Gliding, hip replacements and more....

The Hidden Poet (Steven Gellman) has just released his new album titled 'All You Need'.  It's his first all acoustic album, written during the first year of COVID.

Americana artist Dominica Knapp learned clawhammer banjo after seeing Abigail Washburn in concert.  She was smitten with the sound and asked for a banjo for Christmas.  The COVID shutdown allowed her the time to learn.

Mechanicsburg PA native Kevin Neidig is an excellent guitarist.  He sings really well also.  He is the 2023 Central Pennsylvania Music Awards 'Best Americana Artist', as well as one of the 2023 emerging artists at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival.

Ralph Hertges is a retired therapist who dreamt of being a philosopher, but who didn't want to teach or make pizza.  In retirement, he has rediscovered his love of guitar doodling on his trusted 1970's Ovation Folklore guitar.

Biao Zou is an IT manager for a Buffalo (NY) based company.  He was stuck in Buffalo during COVID while his wife was stuck in China.  Having free evening and weekend time, he decided to improve his acoustic guitar skills.  Biao explains how COVID and a budget Orangewood Guitar lead him to be an Avian Guitar player/fan and ultimately the U.S. distributor for Avian Guitars.  Fascinating story !

I asked Tony Denikos to list his favorite original songs and write a little something about each.  Here is the list of his top 11, and why.

Maryland based singer-songwriter Tony Denikos' 2009 CD 'Already Gone' went to #2 on the Euro Americana Chart and #7 on the Freeform American Roots Chart .  Starting out as a bass player in his teens, Tony transitioned to playing bars and clubs with his trusty Ovation 6-string in the Norfolk VA area before returning to the Mid-Atlantic region.  He has left bar gigs behind for songwriter showcases and house concerts, trading his Ovation for a Gibson J-45.

Maryland based singer-songwriter David (Dave) Mott lost his battle with cancer on December 2, 2022.  Dave was a loyal family man, successful business owner, avid golfer and a regional performing singer-songwriter.  Dave's dream was to record an album of his original songs.  Please join me and listen to the songs of David (Dave) Mott.  Rest in Peace Dave.

Baltimore based Heather Aubrey Lloyd splits her time between her band ilyAIMY, her solo career, songwriting/recording, producing live-stream videos and doing the laundry.  And once in a while she gets invited to open for A-List performers like Gordon Lightfoot.

The music community lost a terrific singer-songwriter performer in late November.  Pete Looney was one of most popular live performers at regional wineries, farm breweries, restaurant bars and distilleries.  He was also a wonderful open mic host, introducing many folks to the joys of live performance.  With his internal optimism, he continued to perform until shortly before he succumbed to cancer.  Pete will be missed.

Ken Miller learned how to sing harmony in church choir, played trombone in high school and taught himself how to play guitar on an old nylon string guitar his wife inherited from an old boyfriend.

Maryland based duo Windon & Ricker were put together musically by the pastor at their church in 1984.  Describing themselves as ordinary guys who like to make music, Rick & Richey make music that is far from ordinary.  Their CD 'Ordinary Man', released in 2000, was started in Maryland and finished in Nashville.  It is incredibly good !  Meet Rick Windon and Richey Ricker.

Chris McLaughlin has a wonderful collection of traditional and exotic musical instruments, but his favorite is the Harmony Sovereign he acquired at a young age.  Like many of us, his first guitar was a Stella wall hanger, but his Harmony Sovereign began his love of acoustic guitar.

Chicago based singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, teacher and author Carey Anne Farrell talks about her musical history, her upcoming CD 'Someone Else's Wings', playing trombone in her marching band and what triggers her songwriting.

Maryland based songwriter Dave Weiner passed away August 15 (2022), five days shy of his 70th birthday.  I have often described Dave as a working man's songwriter, much like his hero John Prine.  Please join me as I reminisce and listen to Dave's songs from his CD 'Highway Song by D. L. Weiner'.

My best friend Rich Brachold and I met in college and began performing for coeds while the boys played basketball.  We had so much fun, we ditched our after college jobs to begin performing professionally on Cape Cod, Boston and Sugarloaf Ski Resort in Maine.  Rich and I reminisce about the beginning years of attracting girls with guitars and how we got to where we are today, still performing 50+ years later.  Special thanks to Rich for joining me.

David Craver is a busy man.  He is a performing singer-songwriter, founder of the Open Mic Network (www.openmic.us) and The Swiss String Company (Royal Guitar Strings).  He is also the President of Amped Kids, an organization that gets musical instruments into the hands of foster kids, and two or three other things.

As a follow-up to my recent interview with Washington DC based songwriter/guitarist Mark Austin, here are the songs from his 2004 CD 'Cool Water'.

Washington D.C. based guitarist/songwriter Mark Austin relates what led up to him opening for the incredible Janis Ian, how he writes his songs, what string brand he uses (and why), and what it was like growing up disliking piano lessons, and how his grandmother came to the rescue.

Nashville-based performing singer-songwriter Jeff Miller uses a looper pedal to create multi-tracked songs live on-stage.  Jeff discusses his equipment, how he uses it and his collaboration with Phil Keaggy.

Ed Haser began his guitar playing at the age of 14 on a cheap beginner guitar that is now history, but he still owns his first good guitar, a Harmony Sovereign jumbo that he bought for $60.  We discuss his journey from the Harmony to a Martin D35, a Martin D28 and to his current favorite, a PRS electro-acoustic.

Washington State based Carl Tosten is a member of the select group of contemporary acoustic guitar super players, adept at open tunings, percussion and tapping.  He is also a performing songwriter and a clinician for Yamaha Guitars and Elixir Strings.  He talks about his passion - acoustic guitars.

David Hanners spent his career as a Pulitzer Prize Winning journalist, but always kept a guitar handy.  David tells us about his journey from the Midwest to Texas, to Kuwait, England & Cyprus and how the journey helped him form his songwriting style.

Baltimore MD based finger-style guitar player Jimmy Stewart was given his first guitar at age six.  After transitioning from a Fender 6-string to an Alvarez-Yairi 9-string until it was stolen, Jimmy took a guitar around the world as a submarine navigator. Retiring after 22-years and getting a position at the Washington DC Sea Command, he decided to take guitar seriously.

Retired Army Colonel Dave 'Kawika' Fiely fell in love with Hawaii on his first tour to Oahu, the moment he stepped off the plane.  The music and culture of Hawaii introduced him to Hawaiian Slack Key guitar.

Thurmont (MD) based acoustic performer Paul Penwell loved playing guitar and singing.  He was an active member of the local open mic acoustic music scene.  His performances, and those by his alter ego 'Xavier World', were a highlight whenever he performed.  We lost him on Sept 12, 2014 (cancer).  Listen to recollections from those who knew and loved him, plus four Paul Penwell originals recorded in the mid-1980's.

Based in the greater Washington DC area, Mike Elosh has been performing his original songs from a young age.  1998-2002 he traveled the East Coast performing in coffee houses and bars.  Today he sings his songs to whoever will listen.

Jefferson MD singer-songwriter Harry Pritchett talks about the writing and recording of his album 'Strange Journey', his award-winning song 'Night Bird' and the writing/recording of new songs.

Maryland based singer-songwriter Doug Alan Wilcox introduces and discusses his new EP 'dancin' on thin air', and being a songwriter during COVID.

New Orleans native singer-songwriter Burke Ingraffia brings his jazz influenced pop to the greater Washington DC region.  Burke talks lyrics, guitar lessons, his musical style and humor and how he navigated the pandemic with help from music.

Maryland based acoustic duo Empty Ecstasy was formed back in high school.  A relationship that was forged with the help of a dream led to a marriage, children, and careers.  Eventually their love of music was rekindled and Empty Ecstasy was born.

Maryland based singer-songwriter Steven Gellman discusses the background leading up to his new CD 'Cold Harbor', a collection of songs from deep within.

Award-winning singer-songwriter and 'in-demand' singer Megan Leigh discussed recording in Nashville, her songwriting style and touring on-the-road with her duo partner Eli Lev.

ilyAIMY founding member Rob Hinkal is a musical genius !  Pyrotechnic guitar chops combined with a supernatural creative mind that splits atoms.

Maryland based guitarist Dan Mack has performed at the Orkney Folk Festival in England.  He has been a composer, a band leader, a solo performer and a host of both live and online open mic's.  His main guitar is a beautiful Santa Cruz OM guitar, although he still owns his 1968 Martin D28.  He started his musical career on clarinet and a $15 guitar from Mexico.

This is Part 2 of my favorite Pandemic song releases by songwriters I've interviewed this past year.  In this show I highlight two songs from CD/Albums by Josh Gray, Dan Kenny, Joe Ginorio and Craig Cummings.

This is Part 1 of my favorite Pandemic song releases by songwriters I've interviewed this past year.  In this show I highlight two songs from CD/Albums by Damion Wolfe, Michelle Swan, Michael Kelly and John DuRant Jr. Stay tuned for Part 2 next week.

Bill Bromfield transitioned from solo to band to solo, back to bands, all the while learning how to be a recording engineer and producer.  His collectable Martin D12-20 (no truss rod) 12-string guitar was his go-to guitar for solo gigs.  His life & career has taken him from CT, DC, VA, Boston, NYC, Nashville and now Maryland. He followed in the footsteps of Bob Dylan, performing at the Bitter End (NYC).

Singer-songwriter Todd Coyle has been at the epicenter of Jefferson County WV music for 45 years.  He talks about creating music venues when none existed, pursuing musical comfort and his belief in organic recording.  Legal pads are his songwriting best friends.

Acoustic songwriter Dan Kenny tells us how he recorded his new CD 'Bright Against The Blue' (From The Dirt - Dan Kenny & Jeff Karn) remotely, working and recording via Cyberspace.  He also talks songwriting craftsmanship and his unique guitar style.

Not wanting to work construction, Mark Joy doggedly found his way into orchestral instrument repair before finding 'joy' in acoustic guitar construction.

Greater Baltimore area guitarist-singer Ron Kutscher discovered the benefits of online open mic's when the world shut down due to the COVID virus.  He takes us on a journey from the 1960's when his friend gifted him a no-name nylon string guitar to today as the producer/host of online open mic's.

Frederick MD based singer-songwriter Joe Ginorio has a new album and an interesting life's journey.  Leaving home at the age of 15 to live on the streets of DC, he wound his way through DC streets, sailing the oceans as a merchant seaman, to a two-year stint in the Air Force, eventually landing a job with the CIA before retiring and re-kindling his interest in guitar and singing.

Kurt Vonnegut fan Tim Kirkner is a seasoned performing songwriter who has opened for Lucy Kaplansky, is a Brewers Alley Monday Songwriters Series and Frederick Coffee Co Sunday Songwriters alumni, and a newcomer to the world of improv.  Tim and Todd talk about songwriting, performing, guitars and how music fits into his life.

Gettysburg PA performing songwriter Thomas Roue saves lives as an EMT-Paramedic during the day and performs original acoustic music as both a solo artist and a band frontman evenings and weekends.  He discusses how he started his journey learning guitar to becoming a songwriter while also learning to become an emergency EMT-Paramedic.

Frederick (MD) based electric guitarist & guitar instructor Sam Biskin grew up listening to his Mom's favorite music (Opera, Frank Sinatra, etc) and his Dad's Jazz & Boogie-Woogie records.  His first guitar teacher taught classical, his second jazz.  He still owns his first nylon string guitar.  Now known more for electric guitar, one of his favorite guitars is his cherry red Guild D35.  An active member of a rock band and a country band, he is a popular guitar instructor. He is one of the founding members of the 'House Band' at the Frederick Coffee Co open mic series.

Long Island (NY) born Robert Pereira was given a guitar by his father at the age of six.  Church folk mass during high school gave way to joining bands as a bass player and background vocalist. Life moved him to the mid-Atlantic region where he finally found his singing voice.

Former touring singer-songwriter Damion Wolfe has released a new EP titled 'Shiny Mad', departing from traditional singer-songwriter guitar-based music to digital composing.  He talks about the journey from Puff The Magic Dragon sung by his hippie parents, to touring singer-songwriter, to composing music for commercial use, to recording 'Shiny Mad' at his D.C. apartment studio.

A drummer since 1961, Ron Goad is a friend to many.  Not only is he a talented percussionist/drummer, he loves helping other musicians improve professionally.  He organizes music shows for several non-profit music organizations and is a board member for SAW (Songwriters Association of Washington).  A retired English teacher, he fills his home in Northern Virginia with drums (all shapes & sizes), guitars and traveling musicians.

Craig Cummings is called 'The Voice' by music promoter Rod Deacey, sometimes as 'The Beach Cowboy'.  Whatever you call him, he writes, records and performs really catchy songs.  He talks about his songwriting and how he gets radio play.

Maryland based professional guitarist Ben Sherman enjoys playing guitar as much now as he did as a kid, whether it's classical guitar, steel-string acoustic or electric.  Performing or teaching guitar, his studies of music theory for his Bachelor's Classical Music Degree opened up his musical world.  He discusses teaching, performing and his guitars & gear.

Western Maryland guitar player Ed Barney is a solo artist, a sought after sideman and an alumni of Up With People.  From guitar lessons on a Harmony nylon string at the age of six, completing many Mel Bay lesson books, to jazz, blues and bluegrass,  he now sees the fretboard as Math. A great guitar player who loves Tony Rice, he's an interesting guy.

Accomplished singer-songwriter T. Edwin Doss will make you chuckle one moment and make you cry the next.  His songs cover humor, romance, faith and tragedy.  He describes his journey of pitching his award-winning songs to Nashville.

Rick Landers is an interesting man.  Not only is he an accomplished singer-songwriter, but he is the publisher of Guitar International Magazine (www.guitarinternational.com).  And, he collects guitars... a man after my own heart.

Starting with a Sears & Roebucks' Silvertone guitar, Michael Schirf has learned close to 1,000 songs during his 40+ year music career.  Woodstock almost became a first-hand experience at the tender age of 17.

Fran Tucker's mother was an opera singer and pianist, her father a multi-instrumentalist who was her first guitar teacher.  She still owns and sometimes plays her first guitar, a child-sized instrument she received at the age of seven.

Frederick MD based finger-style guitarist Jon Mann describes his creative process for assembling his instrumentals from pieces and fragments, and talks about guitar collection and his custom made guitar vault.

Harpers Ferry WV guitarist Frank Davis discusses his early musical years, and explains how attending Jorma Kaukonen's Fur Peace Ranch guitar camp changed his life.

Host Todd C Walker compares guitar picks, demonstrating how guitar players can change their sound by changing picks.

Annapolis (MD) Americana singer-songwriter Michael Kelly is a true student of his acoustic guitar and the craft of songwriting, filling out his sound with banjo, mandolin, fiddle and harmonica.

National touring artist and Maryland-based singer-songwriter Kristin Rebecca has made her name as a harp-playing singer, who also plays acoustic guitar and is a seasoned Renaissance Fair Celtic performer.  She talks learning harp, studying voice in college and how she decided to become a touring singer-songwriter.

'Boulder Canyon' John Denver tribute band member Kevin Delmolino grew up in a musical family, starting out singing a capella barbershop, which led into 1980's hair band rock, to a career in aviation, but music stayed with him, as it does today.

Tom Kohlhepp, the Frederick Folklorist, had a interesting job during his six years in the Navy, and it doesn't involve music.  But, Folk Music caught his attention early on and slowly grew into his passion, with a detour into track & field coaching.

York PA based singer-songwriter Michael Arthur writes poignant songs that explore the breadth and depth of the human experience, utilizing lush open guitar tunings.  He explains how he writes his songs, the time it takes, and his day job career as a rep in the music equipment business.

Regional musician Ken Glasser (one-half of Catoctin Mountain Highway) talks about the history of the Weissenborn Guitar, how he became interested in it, and relates his personal journey from Detroit-based high school jug band to today.

Josh Gray moved from Frederick MD to Nashville TN three years ago.  He discusses the move, the ups and downs of breaking into the Nashville music scene, and how he writes songs.

Chief engineer/owner of Torchlight Productions Recording Studio in Bealesville, MD, and accomplished singer-songwriter Jeff Feit talks about writing his first song at 12 after being wow'd by John Denver, not enjoying piano lessons and how he got interested in becoming a recording studio engineer.

F.A.M.E. (Frederick Acoustic Music Enterprise) social media coordinator discusses his college band (Howie & The Mutants), being a college disc jockey, lifting weights, becoming a Chiropractor and his interest in parody songs.

Maryland-based harmonica player Bill Hall discusses his love of horses, working and his transition from a degree in Veterinary Science to a career in Pathology with stops along the way in Vietnam, sailing the waters of the Chesapeake Bay and learning to play harmonica while driving.

Local Native American Style Flute player Stephen Darnell discusses his journey from playing handbells and the French Horn to his chosen instruments Native American Flute and penny whistle.

John DuRant Jr, son of John DuRant (the Troubadour), grew up playing guitar and saxophone.  He describes his musical upbringing, performing Jazz with Howard Burns and performing in Ireland, plus recording his wonderful CD 'Elevation Road'.

Mark McKay is a nationally ranked performing singer-songwriter who juggles his life between New York City and Frederick MD.  He discusses balancing live performing, songwriting, family and his day job that is based in NYC.  His songs have been compared to Steve Earle and Bruce Springsteen.

Popular performing duo Safe Harbor is a marriage of two talented people brought together by a Gibson Les Paul guitar and a love of music.

Dr Doug Smith, owner of Shab Row Recording Studio in Frederick MD, enjoys recording live bands and using vintage microphones.  He explains the transition from analog to digital recording and what the difference is.  His history of early 1970's recording using simple equipment transitioned into both an undergraduate and doctoral degree in Physics, then a career at NIST.  Great info for the audiophile and those of us fairly ignorant of the technical aspects of recording.

Ken Demith is an interesting fellow.  A graphic artist by trade, but a songwriter at heart.  He discusses growing up in Nashville, rubbing shoulders with Reba McEntire and Roy Orbison, touring in a Zyde-Billy band, songwriting and recording from a distance.

Northern Virginia based singer-songwriter Michelle Swan talks about playing her Dad's giant guitar when she was five, her first guitar (a Seagull), her new Gibson J45, songwriting and her love of the clarinet and live performing.

Middletown MD based singer-songwriter Sammie J burst onto the local acoustic music scene as winner of the Chords of Courage songwriting competition, but she has been singing since a young age.  Listen to her talk about her musical journey, how she acquires guitars and being her own sound engineer in her basement studio.

Les Hatley is a member of the Maryland Entertainment Hall of Fame, he's a "WAMMIE" award winner, and has a rich musical history, starting in 1964 with his first guitar lesson. His second solo CD 'Surge' stayed on the Americana National Chart for almost all of 2013.  His third CD 'Chocolate' also placed on the Americana National Chart.  He has opened for Roberta Flack, Gary U.S. Bonds, Steppenwolf and more.  His songs have been included on television soundtracks for the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, MTV and The Learning Channel.

Indulge the host (Todd C Walker) as he introduces songs from his unreleased 2006 CD 'Stories To Be Told'.

Virginia based luthier Michael Kent O'Brien is a fascinating man.  Listen to him discuss how he transitioned from his childhood on the farm to Vienna, Austria, back to the DC area, the Smithsonian, to horses and horseshoes and finally to his workshop where he builds artisan guitars.

Folk/Americana singer-songwriter Andrew McKnight discusses how his ancestors helped him write his most recent CD 'Treasures In The Chest', why he performs songs from his living room, his guitar collection and how creative collisions can polish a song.

Max Honn is an Americana Folk musician who grew up as a normal boy in a town named Normal who learned that his musical career wouldn't involve the clarinet, but did include a now treasured WWII era Gibson Southern Jumbo guitar and singing.

Shepherdstown WV Americana songwriter/performer Steve Warner talks about writing songs in his head, his musical journey and having four of his songs picked up by Nashville artists.

Hagerstown (MD) based performing songwriter Dave Dishneau talks about news writing, songwriting, learning to play the harmonica, cyber open mic's and stink bugs.

Maryland based performing songwriter Dave Weiner talks about his hero John Prine, songwriting and his love of Gibson Guitars.

John DuRant 'The Troubadour' discusses his musical beginnings as a 1960's Folk musician and how he became a 25-year veteran of the Maryland Renaissance Fair, a television host and his role in the movie Gettysburg.

Willie Barry of Willie Barry & the Chaperones and the Rock-A-Sonics discusses his musical journey from learning 88+ Bob Dylan songs to becoming a Rock-A-Billy star.

Singer-songwriter, educator and SNAFU founder David Morreale discusses his first guitar, busking around Europe and how he transitioned from touring performer to teaching career.

Part 2 of the 1st Annual Frederick Acoustic Music Enterprise (F.A.M.E.) picnic music mix, assembled from then current F.A.M.E. member's recorded music.

Part 1 of the 1st Annual Frederick Acoustic Music Enterprise (F.A.M.E.) picnic music mix, assembled from then current F.A.M.E. members' recorded music.