Song Divers

If the Americana Music association made a Pixar movie, the lead character could very well be based on our guest. Leon Majcen has the personality of a leading man that we're all rooting for. Tall, smirking, and handsome, Leon is an eye-twinkling, excited ball of musical energy. He is the type of songwriter that isn't trying to impress you or convince you he's good at what he does. He lets his songs do the that for him, and leaves his actual talking for connecting with you as a person. He has a devil may care way about him, which is both enviable and disarming. In groups, Leon is a life of the party kind of guy, but one-on-one, he's more reserved. You can still sense his anticipation for his next show or fishing trip vibrating under the surface, but he's more more at peace. Here is the guy that calls you out of the blue just to let you know he was thinking about you. Just checking in. It's that thoughtful inner lining that comes out in his songwriting. Pair that with his picking chops, and you've got a recipe

If you sat next to Adam Randall at a coffee shop, you might observe a quiet but not standoffish guy, with the look of a friendly, unpretentious, nirvana fan with post graduate degrees. If you struck up a conversation, he probably wouldn’t self promote, or tell you he’s an artist, a prolific one, with 8 studio albums and EP’s. You might however, suspect it, and quickly recognize something special about him; Someone who stays with you long after the interaction, like a great indie-film. Someone who’s choices and experiences have distilled a calming presence, and settled him into whatever the opposite of a midlife crisis is. The progeny of these characteristics is a songwriting ability that is so, well, Adam-- unique and so good. He's never stopped refining his perspective and style, and if you’ve been hip to Adam Randall for the decades he’s been at it, you know just how good that style's always been. And he's only getting better. The years haven't worn him out; they've polish him. He's only more resolu

Stef, Ed, and previous Song Divers guests perform covers by the late John Prine on the 1-year anniversary of his passing from Covid-19 during the height of the 2020 pandemic. We welcome back songwriters Andrew Duhon, Rebekah Pulley, Kirk Adams, Liam Bauman, Dean Johanesen, and Joshua Reilly doing some of their favorite Prine tunes. Stef and Ed also perform in this episode. They put together a cut of "Picture Show" with their band Mercy McCoy, feat. Emma Robinson, and Ed gives us a solo performance of "Far From Me." We miss you, John. Thank you for all the love and music you brought into the world. These are for you.

If you are listening to this episode years after it was recorded, the COVID-19 Corona Virus global pandemic is hopefully a thing of the past. Unfortunately, at the time of recording March 21, 2020, we are currently in the beginning of what will likely be a couple months of mandatory self isolation across the United States, and varying degrees of the same already in effect around the world. Businesses are closing, schools are shutting down, hospitals are filling up, and our government isn't helping. It's an unprecedented time that, despite years of warnings from the CDC and visionaries like Bill Gates, we aren't prepared for. No matter who you are, the fabric of your daily life is being impacted, and now more than ever, people are finding community through the things that bind us. Things like philanthropy, art, and, of course, music. As borders close and states declare mandatory isolation, postponing tours and closing concert halls, social media has lit-up with musical and lyrical love, like lighters in a sway

Our last episode was with songwriter Brian Sutherland, a Nashville based musician and standout at the 2019 Downtown St. Petersburg Songwriter's festival. The first night of the fest Brian, a veteran of these events and in his early 30's, shared the stage with Liam Bauman, a young songwriter in his early 20's who by contrast appeared ever the rookie. Any reticence that may have been visible was extinguished when Liam hit his first notes with the steady strum of a guy whose been doing this for years–– And he has, a few tours under his belt and his EP still warm from a late 2019 release, Liam has been on our wish list ever since we saw him busking with a vintage Gibson at Cage fest here in Florida last year. In person, Liam is polite and reserved with lady-killer blue eyes that probably net him a few extra tips when he's working as a barista in his down time. He has an innocent smile that's almost misleading, because his sense of humor gives way to a maturity and depth of guy that has a lot to say and is reall

Every year, Songwriters festivals are happening all over the world, with a critical mass happening in around many of US's quote-unquote music cities. These are the dripping springs of Austin and the 30A Songwriter's fest which taked place every January in Florida's panhandle. These are meant to be different from a traditional music fest in that they focus on the story telling and attempt to create an environment for the focus to be on the song. The fall of 2019, in our market, we attended the first official Downtown St. Petersburg's songwriter's fest. Some of the venues need some coaching for year 2, but on the whole, the weekend was full of local and national songwriters showcasing their story telling. We saw previous Song Divers guests like Nashville's Lydia Luce, and St.Pete's Rebekah Pulley, and we saw a lot of other notable writers that we will likely see on the show in the coming months, and one in this episode. Brian Sutherland is every bit of what Song Divers is about. The guys is a musical Swiss army

Born countries apart, and made in LA, the guys that make up the band Vintage Trouble are rock and roll incarnate. We were first introduced to Ty, Nalle, Richard, and Rick when they toured through a really cool and diverse Jazz Festival we have here in the Tampa/Clearwater area, which I realize is confusing considering they're an act with monster soul and blues swagger, and there aren't any jazz players in the group. Vocalist Ty Taylor is the poster child for the art of being a frontman. He's got a killer voice, he can jump about 7 feet in the air, and he makes it almost impossible not to get up and groove when they take the stage. And the band is stacked—as evidenced by the unplugged performance the whole group knocked out for us, and that you'll get to hear on the back half of this episode. I had come across these guys backstage at the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series, where they were polite, fun, and genuinely excited to be musicians—something you don't always see as clearly in bands of this level of fame and

You are diving into part 2 of our episodes with Contemporary Folk Music legend Ellis Paul. If you are just picking up here, that's great––but, we do encourage you to pause and go back and listen to part 1 with Ellis. There are some references to topics we cover in part 1 that you might appreciate hearing in order. That said, you'll be fine and love it in any order you choose. We just couldn't find enough of Ellis' golden nuggets to leave on the cutting room floor, so you're getting a second helping of one of our favorite guests yet. Ladies, Gents, and everything in between, we bring you more of Ellis Paul.

Throw heaping amounts of talent, determination and hard work into a pot; add a few tablespoons of timely mentorship, healthy competition and the kindness of strangers — and don’t forget a dash of good old-fashioned luck —and that’s your recipe for Contemporary Folk Music legend Ellis Paul. Over a 30 year arc, Ellis has logged more than 5,000 shows and earned scores of accolades and awards (let’s save time and just say all the prestigious folk music awards). He's released 20 albums, landed songs in major motion pictures, and been a featured performer at countless major folk and songwriters’ festivals. He’s even picked up an honorary PhD and been the subject of a documentary. Yet he remains humble, open and as inspired as ever to create new music, turning out some of his finest, most vital work ever on his latest 2019 release, The Storyteller’s Suitcase. We were thrilled by how generous Ellis was with his time in sharing hard-won insights into every aspect of what it takes to carve out a living, and a life,

Travers Brothership is a band formed around twin brothers Kyle and Eric Travers–– and built by the bond among their bandmates. Kyle and keyboardist Ian McIsaac joined us for the interview. Kyle is frontman –– tall, lean, and laid back. Ian is shorter, bearded, and equally as friendly. While Eric and Kyle share a bloodline, the whole band plays like family. A long history of learning and honing their craft has led them to their second full-length release and through experiences sharing bills and stages with the likes of Taj Mahal, Govt. Mule, Blues Traveler, and many more. These guys can write, they can play, and they stopped in to see us before hitting the Suwanee Hulaween stage with Anderson Paak, Bass Nectar, Billy Strings, and Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit. We hope you appreciate hanging with the Travers Brothership as much as we did.

The first thing that hooks you about Kasondra Rose is that hauntingly beautiful siren voice…although it’s virtually impossible to separate that from the ethereal poetry and mysterious pull of her songs. Then again, she’s just as likely to disarm you with a childlike ditty about an aimlessly floating cartoon cloud. A dancer turned actor turned singer—who also dabbles in aerial gymnastics and animation—Kasondra knows what she wants when she finds it, but she’s always restlessly searching for it. In the meantime, she’s made her mark as a solo performer around the eastern U.S., and earned a place in the talented artist’s collective known as The Florida Bjorkestra. Fittingly, we spent part of our last episode with Bjorkestra founder Jeremy Douglass weighing in on his creative process producing Kasondra’s song “Out of Thin Air”...and as a special treat, we get to compare Kasondra’s live version of that tune here in this episode. In conversation, we found her to be refreshingly honest, funny, and down-to-earth, and

Jeremy Douglass is a gifted instrumentalist, producer and composer that follows his own musical bliss into some fascinating projects. Whether writing a piano concerto for American Stage Theatre company, writing songs on the spot with his musical improv group, or wowing audiences with his musical all-star group, the Florida Bjorkestra, Jeremy is pushing the norms in search of the bliss he gets from performing with truly great musicians. Jeremy even had fun re-writing our theme song, re-writing it in various stylings after hearing just a single line of it. Running any tune through the musical style blender that is Jeremy Douglass’ brain always turns out a better version than the one that went in. He’s curious, inventive, and always thirsty for shiny new musical ideas. One of the most intensely creative artists we’ve had on the show to-date, Jeremy is ultimately about erasing barriers—barriers between musical styles, between musicians, between performer and audience…any barriers that limit our conceptions ab

Kirk Adams has made a name for himself with audiences and critics across the country. A longtime staple of the Tampa Bay music scene, Kirk's songs are packed with doom & gloom, chiming guitars, and catchy hooks. His writing writing can be touching, funny, thought provoking, spooky, and sometimes all of that in the same song. Kirk has developed a writing style and commentary that present almost like stories and contemplations from a noir-style Sci-Fi private investigator novel, observing and moving among his fellow night owls, performers, and artists. Wielding his trusty strat, shades, and pork-pie hat, Kirk's writing shows us ourselves in an honest light through tunes born of his own chase for DIY therapy and self-understanding.

Kristopher James is one of those artists whose songwriting is sometimes overshadowed by his own show-stopping vocals. And that is most definitely a compliment. The dude can write, and man can he sing. Through well received EP's and a brand new full length album, Kindness Never Quits, Kris's songs have morphed from folky, sometimes ethereal, americana-pop tunes into a sultry soul style Americana that gives us visions of an Amos Lee and Barry White collaboration–– which if you know Kris, is par for the course. He's a pleasant mix of styles and inspirations. His black framed glasses give him a look of intelligent innocence, while his colorfully tattooed arms tell a story of vibrant expression. His long hair was in pig tails the day he visited us. Pair that with his western denim shirt, and he was almost channeling a young Willie Nelson. We were glad to get a meaningful window of time with him away from the greenrooms of the southeast concert circuit where we usually––and always happily–– cross paths. We hope

Song Divers is, and will hopefully continue to be many things–– for us, and for you. But it started with a feeling. Maybe you've had it: You encounter a work of art. A painting or a poem.. A song–– Or maybe it's a whole person–– And you are captivated. You are moved, and consumed by this feeling of thinking "people need to know about this!" Below the surface Song Divers started as my curated attempt at sharing, celebrating, and appreciating the special people and places that have moved us on our journeys as a musicians, as a listeners, and as people. These two guests, their music, and the shop they inhabit, are the epitome of what I am describing. Trevor Boone may be the son of Jay Booner, Emerald City Guitar's founder, but he is his own man. The frontman of Seattle favorites, The Hollers, he is a talented and disarmingly friendly inividual. To say he is knows his stuff would be an understatement, and the dude can play. His friend, an fellow Emerald City Guitars team member, James Anaya, is his own musical

Nate would be pretty comfortable with us describing him in two words: Road Warrior. But that wouldn't be enough to encompass the description a guy like him deserves. The much decorated songwriter is a big dude, but not intimidating. He should be––He's Tall and tattooed, regularly dawning a western fedora and boots–– but his eyes are a give away. Our first look at Nate showed us the poise of a seasoned story teller with an expression that radiated an empathetic kindness. Nate's friendliness was outmatched only by his humility, which is especially refreshing when you consider the 5 International Music Awards and time spent at the top of the iTunes charts. From the honest reflections on his albums to the engaging stories from more than a decade on the road, we are grateful to Nate for saying yes to an interview and sharing so much with us. We hope you enjoy getting to know him better as much as we did.

Steve Connelly was a spark that lit the fuse for a whole generation of musicians that would go on to be produced by Steve at Zen Recording studios, and all fantasize about being able to play even a single line of a Steve Connelly guitar lead. Zen became a safe haven for songwriters of any caliber looking to lay down a record. From his psychedelic high school years and time on tour with Roger McGuinn, to the countless hours he’s spent bringing to life the musical works of so many others, Steve inspires. He instructs. He provides a platform for the songwriter to fully realize their compositions. Whether you know him as well as so many artists do, or you are just hearing about Steve for the first time, we are so grateful to be able to bring you our conversation with him.

It's a natural tendency for us to compare musicians to others. To say Rebekah Pulley sounds like any of the songwriters that might come to mind would be well intended, but none quite a fit. She's a sound and a songwriter all her own, and after 6 albums her voice is as bright as ever. There's a youthfulness about her even as she delivers retrospective songs that come from a place that can only be reached after a certain amount of life experience. Her recent 2019 release "The Sea of Everything", houses some of her best work yet. After seeing her perform for years, we were excited to finally get to sit down with her. Pull up an ear, for Rebekah Pulley.

When you meet J.T. Brown his soft spoken southern delivery draws you in and puts you at ease. Put a guitar in his hands and a mic in front of him, and the powerfully soulful vibey wave of “spacefolk” that rolls out of him is likely to bowl you over. From his 2016 release of Phantom Heart, to his more recent work on Down The Coast, J.T. Brown's material is contemplative, descriptive, and -- pretty groovy. Tap your foot and sway your head with us as we dive in with J.T. Brown.

Through the 90's and early 00's Dean Johanesen was a widely acknowledged staple of the songwriting community, and like many others at the time, producing work and fronting an indie/alternative-rock outfit–– His band, the Human Condition. Then, out of nowhere, and seemingly overnight, Dean transformed into one of the most respected and enduring troubadorian musicians you'll see today. A few of his most heart stringing compositions still make the set list, but Dean's solo record and shows are primarily comprised of a gypsy style folk music that has uniquely and rightfully become his calling card. We hope you enjoy this interview with another one of our favorite songwriters working today.