Music Makers And Soul Shakers Podcast With Steve Dawson

My guest this month is one of the top producers in music today, Dave Cobb. Cobb first heard Chris Stapleton’s classic country delivery through the tinny speaker of an iPhone and was so taken he swore he’d someday work with the Kentucky-born singer. Eight years later they celebrated an all-genre Album of the Year nomination for “Traveller” at the 58th annual Grammy Awards. He also heard something special in Jason Isbell, Anderson East, and Brandi Carlisle. His work with all those distinct, genre-bending voices has earned him widespread critical acclaim and an additional nomination for Producer of the Year. Cobb has made some of the most respected and critically acclaimed albums to come out of Music City in recent years. He made Sturgill Simpson a reluctant star with “Metamodern Sounds in Country Music”. And Jason Isbell No. 1 in three genres with rock, country and folk chart-topper “Something More Than Free”. This year his work on Brandi Carlisle's recent album cleaned up at the Grammies. I had the pleasure of

Debashish Bhattacharya is an Indian classical musician, singer, composer and instrument pioneer. Debashish has redefined Indian classical music over the last 25 years by performing on slide guitar, and through introducing new techniques, sounds and instruments to the music. He has taught more than a thousand students, created a new genre (Hindustani Slide Guitar), and performed in more than two thousand concerts and workshops, with Grammy nominations and several world music awards. He invented his own slide-guitars, unique to his compositions, which he calls the "Trinity of Guitars". These hollow neck instruments are the 24-string chaturangui, the 14 string gandharvi and the anandi, a 4-string lap steel ukulele. I first met Debashish at the Winnipeg Folk Festival through our mutual friend Bob Brozman, and then had the chance to work with him in a collaboration at the Vancouver Folk Festival the next year. He is an incredibly accomplished musician, and also an excellent fellow and a sheer joy to hang out with!

If you haven't already, please listen to Episode 1 of this interview to get the whole story! Kevin Breit is a humble Canadian treasure. And a hell of a unique guitar player. And a nice feller. I’ve known Kevin for about 20 years at this point, although I haven’t seen him much over the last 10, sadly. When I first got to know him, he was at the tail end of a run in Norah Jones’ live band, and had played on most of her recordings as well. He was bowing out of that gig to be able to spend some more time with his young family, but was already a seasoned vet in the studio, having played on records for folks like Rosanne Cash, k.d. Lang, Hugh Laurie, Cassandra Wilson, Holly Cole, Jane Siberry, Serena Ryder, Taj Mahal, Irma Thomas and countless others. As impressive as that list is, it was his quirkier solo records that I found most interesting. His guitar playing had a big influence on me, particularly his unusual voic eon slide guitar. His string of under-the-radar albums that he seemed to be churning out almost

Kevin Breit is a humble Canadian treasure. And a hell of a unique guitar player. And a nice feller. I’ve known Kevin for about 20 years at this point, although I haven’t seen him much over the last 10, sadly. When I first got to know him, he was at the tail end of a run in Norah Jones’ live band, and had played on most of her recordings as well. He was bowing out of that gig to be able to spend some more time with his young family, but was already a seasoned vet in the studio, having played on records for folks like Rosanne Cash, k.d. Lang, Hugh Laurie, Cassandra Wilson, Holly Cole, Jane Siberry, Serena Ryder, Taj Mahal, Irma Thomas and countless others. As impressive as that list is, it was his quirkier solo records that I found most interesting. His guitar playing had a big influence on me, particularly his unusual voic eon slide guitar. His string of under-the-radar albums that he seemed to be churning out almost for his own amusement were some of the coolest music I knew of. From the slide guitar based “E

My guest this month is Gabriel Roth, a/k/a “Bosco Mann”. He is a Grammy award winning engineer, the founder and chief producer/engineer of Daptone Records, and a prolific song-writer, having penned over 150 songs. Roth is highly regarded throughout the industry for his detailed and analog approach, a rare find in today’s computer-obsessed production world. Since the mid-90s, Roth has been honing his craft, first under his label Desco Records and then as co-founder of Daptone Records, producing, writing and arranging for the numerous artists on the label. His own band, the Dap-Kings, are the foundation of the Daptone House of Soul Stable, backing the label’s premier act Sharon Jones, and sought after by a growing list of artists. A superior bass player, Gabe is enlisted as a member of the Dap-Kings to perform on a wide range of sessions, but his talents as a producer, arranger, engineer and mixer immediately place him in an elite class. Early mainstream followers included Kanye West (who sampled Sharon Jones

My guest this month is the incredibly original singer, songwriter, author and activist, Billy Bragg. Bragg was the leading figure of the anti-folk movement of the '80s and for most of the decade, Bragg bashed out songs alone on his electric guitar, singing about politics and love. While his lyrics were bitingly intelligent and clever, they were also warm and humane, filled with detail and wit. Even though his lyrics were carefully considered, Bragg never neglected to write melodies for songs that were strong and memorable. With a strong DIY ethic and punk-rock attitude, Billy recorded an incredible body of work from the late 70's up through his recent collaborations with Joe Henry. Billy went from his obscure first recordings (which are awesome) through commercial success, working with artists like Paul Weller and Johnny Marr. Kirsty MacColl had a hit with "New England" and Billy's own solo recordings gained attention worldwide. Then in 1998, he teamed up with Wilco to record Mermaid Avenue, a collection of p

Please go and listen to part one of this episode first to get the full story! Chuck Leavell is one of the great piano and organ players of our time. A member of The Allman Brothers Band throughout their commercial zenith in the 1970s, he subsequently became a founding member of the jazz rock ensemble Sea Level. He has served as the principal touring keyboardist and de facto musical director of The Rolling Stones since 1982. As a session musician, Leavell has performed on almost every Rolling Stones studio album released during his tenure. He has also toured and recorded with Eric Clapton, George Harrison, David Gilmour, Gov't Mule and John Mayer. I was lucky enough to speak with Chuck about his many musical adventures, recording the classic Allman's album "Brothers and Sisters", his epic solo on "Jessica", and being in the studio with Mick and Keith for albums like "Undercover", "Steel Wheels" and "Blue and Lonesome". We yakked for a while, so I had to split this into 2 episodes. Enjoy my conversation with Ch

Chuck Leavell is one of the great piano and organ players of our time. A member of The Allman Brothers Band throughout their commercial zenith in the 1970s, he subsequently became a founding member of the jazz rock ensemble Sea Level. He has served as the principal touring keyboardist and de facto musical director of The Rolling Stones since 1982. As a session musician, Leavell has performed on almost every Rolling Stones studio album released during his tenure. He has also toured and recorded with Eric Clapton, George Harrison, David Gilmour, Gov't Mule and John Mayer. I was lucky enough to speak with Chuck about his many musical adventures, recording the classic Allman's album "Brothers and Sisters", his epic solo on "Jessica", and being in the studio with Mick and Keith for albums like "Undercover", "Steel Wheels" and "Blue and Lonesome". We yakked for a while, so I had to split this into 2 episodes. Part 2 will come next week. Enjoy my conversation with Chuck Leavell, and please subscribe to the podcast f

My guest this month is guitarist, singer, and songwriter Jorma Kaukonen. Jorma grew up in Washington, D.C., where he first turned to the guitar. He lived in the San Francisco Bay Area in the early '60s, playing backup to Janis Joplin in local clubs. In 1965, he became a founding member of Jefferson Airplane which soared to fame in 1967, and his distinctive guitar-playing was crucial to its sound with signature solos and parts in classics like "White Rabbit" and "Somebody To Love". With bassist Jack Casady, Jorma formed a spinoff duo from the group in 1970 called Hot Tuna, and this became his primary musical vehicle after the Airplane broke up in 1973. Jorma's fingerstyle guitar playing was a big part of my musical education, and introduced me to the music of Reverend Gary Davis, Blind Blake and many more. His acoustic playing in the Airplane was a real eye opener for me too, with pieces like "Embryonic Journey". He has just released a great auto-biography called "Been So Long", but I thought it would be fun t

In this brief episode, Steve gives you the rundown of what's going to be happening starting next week when the season begins for real!

My guest this week is the incredible pedal steel, guitar, mandolin, and dobro player Greg Leisz. The word "ubiquitous" is usually placed in front of Leisz's name. With good reason -- the man's resumé is daunting, boasting spots with Joni Mitchell, Sheryl Crow, Peter Case, Paul Westerberg, Me'Shell NdegeOcello, Victoria Williams, Joe Cocker, Dave Alvin, k.d. lang, Wilco, Lucinda Williams, Bruce Cockburn, Shawn Colvin, Paula Cole, and the Ventures...to name a few. Not to be pigeonholed in just roots music, Leisz has also played with the likes of Beck, Matthew Sweet, Bad Religion, the Smashing Pumpkins, St. Vincent and Brian Wilson. Greg's inspired playing on many of Bill Frisell's projects form the last 15 years is what made me want to play the steel. Leisz spent his younger years catching acts like the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers in Southern California clubs. Part of his universal appeal -- which certainly draws on the experimental nature of those influences -- comes from an open-minded approach to l

My guest this week is the incredible drummer, composer and all-round musical wizard, Matt Chamberlain. Matt is one of the most in-demand studio drummers of the past 20 years, whose eclectic talents found him working in various genres from rock to classical, jazz, and the avant-garde. I first heard Matt with his band in Seattle, Critters Buggin, and then he started appearing on all kinds of great albums through the 90's and 2000's. Chamberlain started playing in the mid 80’s Deep Ellum scene in Dallas where he joined Edie Brickell and New Bohemians. He then moved to NYC and spent a season with the Saturday Night Live Band from 1991 to 1992. After leaving SNL, Chamberlain based himself out of Seattle and embarked on a fruitful career as a gun for hire. He has racked up an impressive list of credits appearing on albums/tours by David Bowie, Fiona Apple, The Master Muscians of Jajouka, Soundgarden, Bill Frisell, Robert Fripp, Tori Amos, Morrissey, Phantogram, Pearl Jam, Kanye West, Bruce Springsteen, The Wallflow

My guest this week is the incomparable telecaster-slinger and all around guitar maniac, Amos Garrett. Detroit native Garrett began working as a professional guitarist north of the border in Toronto. There he played with the Dirty Shames, a folk jug band, before moving on to the country-rock-oriented Great Speckled Bird at the invitation of Ian and Sylvia. Perhaps best known for his inspired and jaw-dropping work on Maria Muldaur's "Midnight at the Oasis", Amos went on to play on many classic albums for Jesse Winchester, Anne Murray, Stevie Wonder, Emmylou Harris, and Paul Butterfield. His studio work led him to California, and eventually to Alberta, Canada where he has resided for many years. Garrett also put out his own recordings, more than half a dozen, on Stony Plain Records. In 1989, his album The Return of the Formerly Brothers, garnered a Juno Award. Enjoy my conversation with Amos Garrett, and please subscribe to the podcast for free on iTunes!

My guest this week is studio guitarist Adam Levy. Adam is a killer guitar player with an impressive history of live and studio work. A member of Norah Jones' band for years, Adam got his start playing around San Francisco and LA, eventually landing a gig with Tracy Chapman. Adam is tactful and tasteful in his guitar playing, never stepping into a solo spotlight without something meaningful to add to a song. Understated but memorable, Adam’s solos draw on elements of jazz and country to reflect perfectly the simple, earnest sentiment of the composition. Beyond continuing his recording career as a sideman for celebrated artists, Levy has risen as a songwriter in his own right. His compositions have been recorded by Norah Jones, Glen Phillips (Toad the Wet Sprocket), and Miles Zuniga (Fastball). The full force of Adam Levy’s songwriting is in play on his six solo recordings, the latest being 2016’s lyrically driven Blueberry Blonde, a collaboration with drummer Jay Bellerose. Enjoy my conversation with Adam Levy

My guest this week is songwriter and guitar player David Bromberg. David is mostly known as a guitar player, but also plays a mean fiddle, pedal steel guitar and dobro. Bromberg began releasing albums of his own in the early 1970s, but at the same time was building a career as a prolific sideman, recording with everyone from Bob Dylan, Jerry Garcia and Jerry Jeff Walker to George Harrison and Ringo Starr. After a string of solo albums through the 70's, David decided to switch gears and got into violin repair and sales, starting his own shop in Delaware. David has recently hit the road again with a killer new band, and made his latest record last year, entitled "The Blues, The Whole Blues and Nothing But The Blues". Enjoy my conversation with David Bromberg, and please subscribe to the podcast for free on iTunes!

My guest this week is legendary bass player Tommy Shannon. Best known as the bassist in Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, Tommy was also an integral part of Johnny Winter's initial success, not to mention more recent projects including Arc Angels and Storyville. Growing up in west Texas, the future bass legend launched his music career in the usual fashion, playing guitar in local cover bands during his high school years. When Johnny Winter, described by Tommy as “an encyclopedia of the blues,” invited Shannon to join his band, he used his own vast record collection to immerse his new bassist in all things blues. While living in Houston, he read that Stevie Ray Vaughan, that “real awkward looking, scrawny 14-year-old kid” he remembered from years ago at The Fog, was playing at Rockefeller’s and decided to go check him out. The story of Tommy’s time with Stevie is well known: the musical highs of sold-out concerts all over the world, the multiple Grammys, the gold and platinum records. Tommy has been thro

An update on the podcast, reasons for the sudden break in Season 2, and a bit of news...

My guest this week is the legendary keyboard player Reese Wynans. Wynans is probably best known as the keyboard player in Stevie Ray Vaughan's band, Double Trouble. From '85 until Stevie's death, they were like a freight train - touring worldwide and recording smash albums like "Soul To Soul", "Live Alive" and the final SRV album, "In Step". Hardcore Allman Brothers fans also know that Reese was a member of the Second Coming, which, from November 1968 to March 1969 also included guitarist Dickey Betts and bassist Berry Oakley. That band was the launching pad for initial jam sessions with Duane Allman, Betts, Oakley, Butch Trucks and Jaimoe that led to the formation of the Allman Brothers Band. Reese also had stints with Boz Skaggs, Joe Ely and Jerry Jeff Walker. Since moving to Nashville in 1992, Wynans has played keyboards for a number of country artists including Brooks & Dunn, Trisha Yearwood, Martina McBride, and Hank Williams Jr. Wynans has also played for blues artists Buddy Guy, John Mayall, Kenny Wayn

My guest this week is guitarist and songwriter Kenneth Pattengale. Pattengale makes up one half of the killer duo Milk Carton Kids, which formed in 2011 when Pattengale teamed up with fellow songwriter Joey Ryan. The duo formed a fast chemistry which relies on tight and intricate harmony singing, and the slippery guitar playing of Pattengale. Together they have made 4 albums, and have had an incredible run over the last 5 years working with Joe Henry, T-Bone Burnett and Ryan Freeland, receivig a Grammy nomination, and touring all over the world. Previous to the Kids, Kenneth was a solo artist living in LA, making solo records under the radar and getting really good at Scrabble. I've been a fan of these guys since seeing them a few years ago at Folk Alliance and then at the Americana Conference in Nashville. Recently, my friends in Birds of Chicago, another killer band, did an EP at my studio and Kenneth was a guest. We had a good hang, played some music together and then he was nice enough to drop by and talk

My guest this week is pedal steel legend Lloyd Green. Lloyd is most notable for his session work, having played on records with artists such as The Byrds, Johnny Cash, Alan Jackson, The Monkees, Paul McCartney, Charley Pride, Bob Dylan, Johnny Paycheck, and many others. Green landed in Nashville after college and soon found steady work as a road musician supporting artists like Ferlin Husky and Faron Young. He stayed with Young's band for 18 months and then left town to be with his new wife. During those months, he appeared on the George Jones track, "Too Much Water Runs Under the Bridge" and then for some reason had a hard time finding more work. At that point, Green basically quit playing and became a shoe salesman in Nashville. A few years and a couple of fortunate turns later, Lloyd became one of the top call steel guitarists in Nashville in the 60's and 70's, and definitely one of the most recorded of all time. His memorable, bluesy licks grace so many classic country recordings, not to mention kicking o