Shows
The Unstarving Musician333 How to Build, Name, and Nurture Your Creative CommunityMost independent artists focus on building an audience, but the real power lies in developing a creative community. In this episode, I delve into the psychology behind transforming casual followers into passionate community members who view themselves as part of something larger. Drawing insights from my recent interview with singer-songwriter Eli Lev and his "Levitators" community, I break down the key differences between audience building and creative community development. You'll discover why community names matter more than you think, how to move beyond social media performance theater, and practical strategies for creating authentic engagement that serves both...
2025-08-2230 min
The Unstarving Musician319 Musician Well-being: Breaking the Suffering Artist Myth for Sustainable SuccessThis episode explores musician well-being and challenges the persistent "suffering artist" myth. Drawing from recent examples of successful artists like Lizzy McAlpine and Ashe, Robonzo examines how prioritizing mental health leads to sustainable music careers rather than limiting them. Discover practical strategies for setting boundaries, managing performance demands, and creating sustainable touring schedules that protect your creative energy. Learn why being transparent about mental health challenges can actually strengthen fan relationships rather than damage them. Whether you're a touring musician, recording artist, or industry professional, this episode provides actionable insights for maintaining well-being while pursuing...
2025-02-2108 min
The Unstarving Musician313 The Power of Imperfect Music Marketing: Getting Real with Your AudienceMusic marketing doesn't have to be perfect to be effective. Join host Robonzo as he challenges traditional promotion methods and reveals why your unpolished, real moments might be your greatest marketing asset. Learn practical strategies for Instagram Stories, Reels, and Posts, plus discover the untapped potential of LinkedIn for booking gigs. With personal anecdotes and actionable insights, this episode shows how embracing authenticity can lead to deeper audience connections and better engagement. From the 70-20-10 content rule to building genuine relationships in your local music community, you'll gain practical tools to market your music more effectively while staying...
2024-12-1641 min
The Unstarving Musician309 Harmony in Hustle: Blending Creativity and Business for Musical SuccessEver feel like you're juggling flaming torches while riding a unicycle when it comes to balancing your music career? This episode dives into the wild world of being an independent musician-slash-solopreneur. It explores the age-old question: Can you be both a creative genius and a business whiz simultaneously? (Spoiler alert: You totally can!) Get ready to unpack the challenges and surprising rewards of wearing both the artist and entrepreneur hats. Discover strategies for switching between your creative and business brains without getting whiplash. Plus, learn how to use your business smarts to fuel your creativity – mind-blowing, right?...
2024-10-1127 min
The Unstarving Musician308 Wearing All the Hats: A Guide to Balancing Your Music CareerHey musicians! It's Robonzo here, and I've got a fresh episode for you that's all about the juggling act we call being an independent musician. In this episode, I'm diving deep into the challenges we face as music artists, marketers, managers, and producers all at once. I'm sharing real talk about the constant chase for education and income in our ever-changing industry. We'll explore how to find balance in this crazy journey, tackling everything from time management to the art of focusing on one task at a time. And yes, we'll chat about how AI is shaking...
2024-09-2715 min
The Unstarving Musician307 Joe Patterson – Navigating Music Career Transitions And The Changing Music IndustryIn this episode, host Robonzo engages in a rich conversation with friend and musician Joe Patterson, diving deep into the intricacies of music careers, passion projects, sync licensing, and more. Key highlights: 1. Career Transitions: Explore Joe's journey of returning to music after a successful career in another field. He candidly discusses the challenges and rewards of returning to his musical passions. 2. Passion Projects and Band Dynamics: Joe shares valuable insights on finding the right players for passion projects, discussing his secret for successful musical collaboration. 3. Sync Libraries: Joe shares his recent...
2024-09-1340 min
The Unstarving Musician297 Leveraging Your Email ListWhether your art is in music or some other realm, leveraging your email list is paramount. Email marketing is a topic near and dear to my heart. Once you have an established email list, the easiest way to leverage it is by sending regular emails to subscribers. They are your supporters, after all. Begin by considering how often you will send emails. In my experience, this can be a challenging commitment to meet, but you can change the frequency if you initially over commit. Consistency is key. Subscribers will lose interest in you and possibly even forget...
2024-02-2315 min
The Unstarving Musician296 Julia A. Miller, Delmark Records – The Evolution of Delmark's Business Model, How Labels Can Serve As Business Partners To Musicians, And Practical Advice For Leveraging Your Record LabelIn May 2018, Julia A. Miller became the CEO & President of Delmark Records LLC. That same year, Delmark Records LLC purchased Delmark, the oldest continuously operating jazz and blues independent record label in the United States. Delmark was founded in St. Louis, Missouri in 1953. Julia and company celebrated Delmark's 70th anniversary by releasing a 70th Blues Anthology and a forthcoming 70th Jazz Anthology. In this conversation, Julia shares with me her background in music and academia, the evolution of Delmark's business model, how labels can serve as a business partner, how musicians can best leverage their labels for...
2024-02-1648 min
The Unstarving Musician295 Tracee Perrin – The Evolution Of Her New Single (Poison In The Water), Nashville's Population Explosion, So Far Sounds, Self Care For The Voice, Musical Theater, 2024 Release Plans & StrategyTracee Perrin is a graduate of the Musicians Institute (MI) in Hollywood, where she learned how to produce and engineer her own music. In 2010 Tracee was accepted into the ASCAP Lester Sill Songwriters Workshop, an experience she says reinforced her desire to build a career in music. Tracee has its roots in the Los Angeles, but now lives in Nashville. She has a new single out called "Poison In The Water," that will be part of a forthcoming EP, her first body of work in over 10 years. We talk about the evolution of her new single Poison...
2024-02-0948 min
The Unstarving Musician293 Ady Parzentny – Home Recording, Production Mentoring, Morocco, Ady's YouTube Channel, History of Mobile Recording, Arc of a Recording Career, Social Inequality and MisconceptionsAdy Parzentny of Hit The Road Studio has recorded with a mobile studio in the desert of Morocco, and has audio mixing and production course content on PromixAcademy.com. Ady says he does what he does to make the world a better place by helping people make good records, go on tour, and do what they love. As a Mixing Engineer & Music Producer, Ady works with Musicians World Wide in Pop, Rock, Jazz, and World Music Fusions. Ady works with world-class musicians like Nani Vazana that hit #10 on the European World Music Charts, Mehdi Nassouli, and Karim...
2024-01-2656 min
The Unstarving Musician292 Terry Carleton – Remixing Vince Guaraldi Peanuts Cartoon Soundtracks, Bones & Knives Recording Studios, Meeting the Mendelson's, and the Arc Of Terry's Music CareerTerry Carleton of Bones & Knives Recording Studio has recorded music for major TV shows, indy films, commercials for radio, and, in some cases, has led to helping clients procure major record deals. Terry studied classical, jazz, and composition on full scholarship. Playing in bands for the better part of 40 years. Has played live with many notables, including rockabilly legend Link Wray, pop and gospel vocalist Maria Muldaur, and jazz B3 icon Tony Monaco. As a member of Daddy-O, Terry helped back The Drifters, The Coasters, The Platters, The Marvelettes, Al Wilson, and Motown pioneer Mary Wells, to...
2024-01-191h 14
The Unstarving Musician291 Jennifer Roig Francoli – Making Great Music with Ease, Alexander Technique, Getting Stuck, Performance Anxiety, Thinking Less, Over-DoingJennifer Roig Francoli is a violinist, coach for musicians, and Creator of The Art of Freedom Method for Conscious Living and Masterful Artistry. She's had multiple solo appearances at Carnegie Hall and with orchestras such as the Pittsburgh and Berlin Symphony Orchestras. Jennifer is also a former Associate concertmaster and soloist for the Grammy-Award winning baroque ensemble Apollo's Fire, former faculty at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati and Xavier University, a prize-winning medical researcher on Alexander Technique for surgeons published, and founder of The Alexander Technique Guild of Ohio. Jennifer now helps...
2024-01-051h 00
Set Lusting Bruce: The Bruce Springsteen Fan PodcastRobonzo - The Unstarving Musician PodcasterRobonzo joins me from Mexico! We discuss him growing up in Fort Worth and we share memories of going to concerts at the Cotton Bowl. His love of the Rolling Stones. We also discuss his podcast The Unstarving Musician https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/about/ where he and his guests talk about marketing, business and the creative process to empower other musicians the ability to do more of that they love, make music. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-11-2846 min
The Unstarving Musician286 The Vintage Yell – Working As A New Band, Writing And Recording New Music, Release Strategy, Mesquite St. Records My guests, Chris Raspante and Jesse Spradlin, are The Vintage Yell. Chris appeared in episode 2 and episode 186 of The Unstarving Musician, which are among the most popular for the podcast. Chris and Jesse joined forces to form The Vintage Yell somewhat recently and have a lot of new music coming soon. You can find their new single "Goin' On Swinging" at TheVintageYell.com. Jesse, Chris and I had a great conversation. I especially enjoyed their discussion of The Vintage Yell launch party and their coming-out strategy. We also discuss working together as a new band...
2023-11-101h 04
The Unstarving Musician285 Johnny Burgin (Rewind) – Chicago Blues, Music Festivals, The Magic Of The Stage, Pinetop PerkinsThis is a rewind episode featuring blues guitarist Johnny Burgin. What is a rewind episode? It's a previously published episode, one of my favorites, and one that I think merits re-publishing. I give these episodes a fresh edit, which means you will find it even more enjoyable from a listening perspective. Johnny Burgin, the coast-to-coast (intercontinental) Chicago blues man, first appeared in episode 31 back in December of 2017. We performed a house concert on February 11 2020 at Tranquilo Retreat in Panama. He's coming to Querétaro to perform the 9th annual Querétablues Festival, which you can find on Fa...
2023-10-2750 min
The Unstarving Musician282 Rory Kenny of Loudly – The Roll-Out Of Loudly, Inspiration For Moving Into AI, The Loudly Roadmap, Business And Hiring Challenges, Use Cases, Assembling The Ideal Team, Copyright, Future Of Music And AIRory Kenny is a co-founder and CEO of Loudly, a platform that helps create AI-generated music in seconds for your videos, social channels, advertising media, podcasts, apps, and more. It's 100% royalty-free and easy to use. Every sound on Loudly is human-made and restructured as samples, loops, and stems. Loudly allows users to download stems from AI-generated tracks and use them in their projects on their DAW of choice. The predominantly web-based app rolled out about five months ago as I record this episode intro. We talk about the product roll-out, Rory's inspiration for co-founding Loudly, the company...
2023-10-061h 06
The Unstarving Musician279 Alyssa Trahan – Moving to Nashville, Sound Engineering, Endorsements, Sponsors, Crowdfunding, Marketing, Merch, and the Biggest Lesson She'd Learned in NashvilleAlyssa Trahan is the featured artist in this Rewind episode. What's a Rewind episode? It's a previously published episode, one of my favorites and merits re-publishing. I also give these episodes a fresh edit, which means you will find it even more enjoyable from a listening perspective. Nashville based singer songwriter Alyssa Trahan first appeared in episode 18 (2017), which is remarkable because the depth of our conversation rivals anything I've done to date, as do the accomplishments Alyssa had made at her then age of 22. Topics covered in our conversation include why she moved to Nashville...
2023-09-1555 min
The Unstarving Musician278 Kayana – Drip Release Strategy, Self Forgiveness, Dating, a Short Film Commission, and a Creative Retreat that Gave Her the Theme and Outline for Her Forthcoming AlbumNew York City based singer and multi-instrumentalist Kayana recently dropped a new single and has more on the way. Kayana is an emerging music artist who fuses pop, R&B and afro-beat with trap-like production style. The music of her forthcoming album delve into personal matters of family, romance and self acceptance. We talk about her latest single, drip release strategy, her manager, finding a producer through collaboration, balancing a full-time job with music, performing frequency, finding her musical lane, how a creative retreat lead to the theme and outline of her forthcoming album, self-forgiveness and dating...
2023-09-0846 min
Musicianship Mastery with David LaneRelocating as a Musician (with Robonzo) | Ep36If you're a working musician, chances are that at least once in your life, you'll move to another area. You're moving to an area with established musicians and trying to get your foot in the door. What are some of the things you can do? Robonzo is a drummer who has established a working network in the areas of Fort Worth/Dallas and San Francisco, as well as towns in Panama and Mexico, and shares a few things to do and don't to get started in a new area.
Robonzo is the creator and host of The Uns...
2023-08-2136 minMusicianship Mastery with David LaneRelocating as a Musician (with Robonzo) | Ep36If you're a working musician, chances are that at least once in your life, you'll move to another area. You're moving to an area with established musicians and trying to get your foot in the door. What are some of the things you can do? Robonzo is a drummer who has established a working network in the areas of Fort Worth/Dallas and San Francisco, as well as towns in Panama and Mexico, and shares a few things to do and don't to get started in a new area.
Robonzo is the creator and host of The Uns...
2023-08-2136 min
The Unstarving Musician274 David Lane – Discovering Music Composition, Collaboration, Teaching, and PodcastingDavid Lane teaches piano, composition, and music theory. He's composed over 100 concert works, and several films, and has been the arranger for several dozen works. David is scheduled to serve as Vice President of the Winston-Salem Piano Teachers Association starting in the summer of 2023 and currently is the Chair of Composition and Theory for the North Carolina Music Teachers Association. As an instructor, David specializes in teaching piano to adult beginners, teaching music theory to all ages, and offering some conventional as well as non-conventional approaches to learning composition. He hosts two podcasts, one called The Musician...
2023-08-1136 min
The Unstarving Musician273 Minus Cube – Capturing Recording Studio Processes, Maintaining the Joy of Making Music, Ongoing Journey of Learning Production, Recording Studio Setup, Collaborating with JJ LovegroveMinus Cube is a songwriter and studio engineer. He's had a busy year in 2023 mixing and producing five singles and an album. Much of that work was in collaboration with friend and fellow music artist JJ Lovegrove. Minus Cube and I had a long and pleasant conversation, covering his busy year, capturing studio processes, maintaining a sense of enjoyment in music, the occasional struggle to stay excited, reinventing his creative output, his production learning journey, collaborating with JJ Lovegrove, playing drums, solo works, his recording setup, and his outlook for the rest of the year. ...
2023-08-041h 00
The Unstarving Musician269 Christine Smith – Musicians vs the World, Getting Paid Gigs as a Teen Pianist, Composing, Orchestration, Film Scoring, and the Arc of Her Career in Music, Film, and Sound Design Christine Smith is a classically trained pianist with a varied career history. She's done composition, film score, cover bands, teaching, and anything else you can think of doing as a good piano player/musician. She co-founded the entertainment and informational content development company called Frosted Lens. Before that, Christine was the Sound & Music Director/Composer-in-Residence for RPR Studios. Christine's work is featured in award-winning films, commercials, and promotional videos. She's also host of Musicians vs. The World, an interview podcast that explores many aspects of Musician life. I encourage you to check that out wherever...
2023-07-071h 01
The Unstarving Musician266 Alicia Van Sant – Happiness And Longevity Of The Wag, Singing Better In Heels, Performing Music Of The Beatles, Blue Bottles And Copper Coins, Making Merch With The Cricut, The Moody Blues, Star Trek, And Lord Of The RingsAlicia Van Sant, founding member and lead singer of The Wag, is my guest for this episode. Alicia's bandmate Joshua Van Ness introduced us. Joshua was featured in episodes 257 and 134. Alicia and I had a great time talking. She loves to laugh and comes across as a genuinly pleasant and fine human being. The Wag has been going over 20 years, so cheers to Alicia and The Wag! These days, they have the luxury of being choosy about the shows they play, and Alicia says they're really busy, all the time. The Wag recently released a new album...
2023-06-1045 min
The Unstarving Musician265 Cranston Dean – Songwriting Influence From Small Town Life And Jazz, Recording "Northern Town," Getting Started In Songwriting, The Value Of Open Mic Performance, Big Studio Lessons Applied To Home RecordingSinger-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Cranston Dean is my guest for this episode. Cranston is a New Jersey native whose music draws from Americana, folk, jazz, country, blues, pop, and soul. He sees songwriting and performing as a way to translate and transform the human condition into beautiful works of art. Cranston's solo tours have taken him throughout the Mid-Atlantic to Nashville and north through New England to the coast of Maine. In the summer of 2017, he supported his fourth studio album, "High Beams," with a tour spanning Chicago, Minnesota, Washington, Oregon, California, and Colorado. The album was named...
2023-05-2647 min
The Unstarving Musician264 Julieta Heredia – Fin Del Mundo, A YouTube Performance That's Changing Everything, The Evolution Of Live Shows, The Message In Their Music, And The Writing ProcessJulieta Heredia is a founding member and guitarist of Fin del Mundo. The band is from Buenos Aires, with roots in the southernmost region of Patagonia. The music of Fin del Mundo uses melodies, lyrics, and instrumental passages to combine indie sounds with nuances of emotional post-rock. Their first songs were released in April 2020 and became the soundtrack for their days in isolation (the pandemic lockdown). The band says their second release explores directions that prove the "end of the world" is also the beginning of a new stage. In this conversation, Julieta shares memories of her...
2023-05-1946 min
Working Musician Podcast®175 Robonzowww.unstarvingmusician.com www.robonzo.com Topics include: Relocation Networking and connection Smiling The Unstarving Musician Optimizing the economics Change Original music Podcast services Support SUBSCRIBE at www.workingmusicianpodcast.libsyn.com Pay What You Want monthly subscribers get access to an exclusive blog feed with updates, bonus questions from podcast interviews, and subscriber-only episodes.
2023-05-0743 min
The Unstarving Musician263 Krosst Out – A Changing Approach To Music, Unconventional Release Strategy, A Collaboration Wishlist, Songwriting Introspection, Tour PlansMy guest in this episode is alternative/nu-punk artist Krosst Out. His latest song, This The New Shit, drops on May 12th, 2023. The single is the first of many to come from rap-rocker Krosst Out with the announcement of his forthcoming album I Had A Dream I Didn't Have Eyes. The first time we spoke was in March 2018, when Krosst Out had recently released his first album. That conversation was for Unstarving Musician episode 43. Today K.O. claims he's grown as a songwriter, performer, and music artist. He also says his latest release is the perfect introductory...
2023-05-0554 min
The Unstarving Musician261 Keldamuzik – Oakland's Hip Hop Scene, Child Acting, Merch, Modeling, Sync Placements, Content Strategy, Building A Press Portfolio, And Kelda's Social Media JamKelda Williams is known professionally as Keldamuzik (aka Diva). She is an American music artist, actress, TV host, and producer. Born in the Bay Area of California, she is known for her hit singles Queen for A Night and Thirsty. Both songs are on her 4th studio album, Diva TV (2010). After honing her craft as a music artist, Kelda expanded her brand into different areas of the entertainment industry. She's dabbled in pop and dance, but Kelda is best known as a hip-hop artist. Kelda has also produced and hosted TV shows and produced films...
2023-04-2155 min
The Unstarving Musician260 John Templeman – Music Roots In Ohio, Touring Post Pandemic, Favorite Music News Sources, Concert Ticket Prices, Change Driven Marketing, Artist Contributions To Their Own Success, Jib Machine RecordsMy guest for this episode is John Templeman of Jib Machine Records. His label focuses mainly on rock but started as a punk label and has featured metal acts. John is a multi-instrumentalist musician and includes some of his work among the Jib Machine roster. John started Jib Machine Records in 2004. The label has released over 60 records, initially focused on local talent in and around Cleveland, Ohio. Jib Machine has since expanded its reach internationally. John also founded 13 Recordings, a production operation specializing in sonic ferocity. He's become one of the most recognizable faces in the Cleveland...
2023-04-1449 min
The Unstarving Musician259 Daniel Stidham – Marketing Minds Of Raid The Quarry, Release Strategy, Co-writing, The Business Of Hard Rock, Audience Development, Making Videos (Rewind Episode)Welcome to another rewind episode of the Unstarving Musician. What is a rewind episode? It is an abridged version of a prior episode, intended to hone in on something I found particularly interesting and worthy of repackaging. This rewind features Daniel Stidham of Raid The Quarry, a modern rock band out of Raleigh, NC. Daniel Stidham first appeared on the Unstarving Musician in May of 2019. As a side note, while reviewing our first conversation, I noticed it was in need of additional editing. I actually laughed out loud at one part, which I saved as an Easter...
2023-04-0736 min
The Unstarving Musician258 Zack O'Malley Greenburg (Rewind)–The Relationship Between Indie Artists And Fans, Rise Of The Super Fan, NFTs, Lessons From Hip Hop, And The Rising Significance Of Intellectual PropertyThis rewind episode features author and music journalist Zack O'Malley Greenburg. What is a rewind episode? It is an abridged version of a prior episode, intended to hone in on something I found particularly interesting and worthy of repackaging. This rewind comes from episode 226 of the podcast. Zack is also the featured guest of episode 149. He writes a great deal about the music business within the hip hop celebrity world. He says in the introduction of his forthcoming book, We Are All Musicians Now, "Artists are canaries in the coal mine of modern business, experiencing seismic tech...
2023-03-3121 min
The Unstarving Musician256 Carter Ray – Acting And His Accidental Start In Music, Headlining Gay Pride 2022, Merch Ideas, Tips on Getting Better Gigs, Social Media Marketing and Content CreationCarter Ray is described as a cinematic raconteur, colorful, charismatic, and entertaining. He recently released a single called Forever Plus One (Feb. 10, 2023), which is a cross-genre, EDM inspired ballad, a declaration of unity to span a lifetime. In 2014, Carter began documenting his transition from female to male, on the internet, in hopes of raising awareness and to help spread a message of love, validity, and the belief that no dream is too big, a message he badly needed growing up. He is now the first trans male to host his own night, "Heavenly Bodies," at...
2023-03-1746 min
The Unstarving Musician254 Wowashwow – Origins Of Her Artist Name, Humor In Music, Her Latest Single And The Forth Coming Album, Effects Of Social Algorithms On Indie Music Artists, Vulnerability And Connecting With Her Audience, Cannabis Advocacy, And MoreAt age six, my guest Wowashwow was writing her first original songs which led to an early career as the lead guitarist and singer of a punk rock band. This led to a tour where she opened for The Ramones' drummer, Marky Ramone, and recorded her first album under the direction of punk rock icon, Steve Albini. At age 18, Wowashwow moved to NYC and discovered the underground hip-hop and ballroom scene. This would heavily influence her approach to songwriting, stage performance, and overall lifestyle. An activist in the Cannabis industry, she has been breaking the stigma of cannabis consumption...
2023-03-0349 min
The Unstarving Musician251 Drew Ryder Smith – Website Platforms, Nashville, Texas Ties, Growing Up In Tennessee, Pneumonia, Songwriting Vocationally, Touring, Recording, The Origins Of Robonzo, And Legendary Drummers My guest for this episode is a country singer-songwriter, Drew Ryder Smith. He just released three new singles, which were delayed because of a dilemma caused by the many other Drew Smiths on streaming platforms and elsewhere. But the songs are out now and they sound great! The recording quality of this episode is quite good. Drew clearly had a nice home setup and his speaking voice is as good as it gets. Drew has been a professional songwriter for about ten years but has recently decided to return to the life of...
2023-02-1051 min
The Unstarving Musician250 Stacey Bedford – $100 Million In Commission-Free Sales, Bees, Lessons Learned At Bandzoogle, The Value Of Unplugging, Advice To Musicians, And The Importance Of Websites For MusiciansStacey Bedford, CEO of Bandzoogle is my guest for this special episode number 250. She didn't know this would be our 250th episode when we spoke, but we had a great conversation. Stacey shares the news of Bandzoogle's recent milestone of surpassing $100 million in commission-free sales of music, merch, and tickets through their websites. We also talk about bees, skeleton humor and how we came to be in this universe, the significance of Bandzoogle's last five years, lessons learned since her humble beginnings in customer service at Bandzoogle, her current passions, the value of unplugging, public speaking, her...
2023-02-0336 min
The Unstarving Musician249 Dariann Leigh–New Songs, Pursuits In Pop, Creating A Sound, Songwriting, Journaling, Documenting Lyrics & Hooks, Theatre, Being A Solo Artist, Media Features, Release StrategyMy guest for this episode is Dariann Leigh. She is described as red carpet glam and camo in a tree stand, big city beauty with small town humility. "As a kid," Leigh says, "I remember closing my eyes, plugging my headphones in and listening to tracks that ended up being the theme songs to my daydreams. I want to be that artist for someone else." Here's what people are saying about Dariann's voice and stage presence. "Big voice!" "I book anthems singers all year long, Dariann Leigh is the best-hands down!!!" –Jon Praska GM...
2023-01-2738 min
The Unstarving Musician245 Marlee XX – Recent Releases, Serving The Voices Of Women As A DJ, Becoming A Producer, Self Expression Through Style, Life As A Solo Artist, Learning The Music Business, Sync Licensing, Stage FrightMy guest for this episode is Marlee XX, the multi-hyphenate musical artist (vocalist - songwriter - DJ - producer) hailing from Washington, DC. She's a powerhouse entertainer who has honed a distinctive style, sonically versatile and fluid in genre. Marlee is busy creating crossover-ready pop songs having just released the singles Frequency and Only One, at the time of our conversation. Her resume is solid. She and her former band Marlee In the Mixx held a two year at Indulj On U Street in D.C and performed in venues across the US, including Afropunk's Battle of...
2022-12-0936 min
The Unstarving Musician244 Fia Nyxx – PR, Marketing, Common Indie Artist Struggles, Video Collaboration, Release Strategy, Recording Studio Lessons, Confidence Through Repetition, And Theatrical PerformanceMy guest Fia Nyxx is considered stylistically as somewhere in between Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Toni Braxton. She embraces a theatrical approach to her music and experimental clash of genres. Fia is also seen as a Hollywood glam-star, garnished with a rockstar twist. On her latest release Red Umbrella, she unleashes a masterful vision for storytelling. The album attempts to connect the dots along a path less traveled, embracing strength through vulnerability, devine-femininity, spiritual awakening, sexual liberation and a love story. Fia recorded her first album, Everything Girl, at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals...
2022-12-0241 min
The Unstarving Musician243 Shannon Curtis – House Concerts, Building Connections And Community, Release Strategy And Her 2018 Album "Both At The Same Time" (Rewind Episode)This episode features singer songwriter and queen of house concerts Shannon Curtis. It's another installment of the Unstarving Musician rewind series where I showcase a past interview. And I've re-edited and remastered the episode for your listening pleasure. :) This conversation is so good! We talk about Shannon's journey into house concert tours, plus: How house concerts upped her game in terms of building connections and community Her book on house concerts Her then latest album Both At The Same Time Her release strategy and more This is one of the conversations I come back to...
2022-11-1146 min
The Unstarving Musician238 Making Maroon 5, Losing It All, and Finding Recovery – Ryan DusickMy guest for this episode is Ryan Dusick. Ryan is the founding drummer of Maroon 5, an Associate Marriage & Family Therapist, and author of Harder to Breathe: A Memoir of Making Maroon 5, Losing It All, and Finding Recovery (out November 2022). In 1994, Ryan Dusick joined friends Adam Levine, Jesse Carmichael, and Mickey Madden to form the band Kara's Flowers. They released the album The Fourth World in '97. Following the termination of their record deal, the band went on hiatus and everyone went their separate ways. In 2001, Dusick reunited with Levine, Madden and Carmichael. They were joined...
2022-09-1636 min
The Unstarving Musician233 Creating a business around your music and artistic sides–Fabiana ClaureFabiana Claure is a concert pianist and educator who has created a business around her music and artistic sides. Teaching others how to do the same is her passion. Fabiana resides in the U.S., but has also lived in Bolivia and Cuba. She says that living abroad has given her a helpful global perspective toward music, entrepreneurship and education. She founded The Musician's Profit Umbrella® business mentorship program for musicians. Fabiana was also Founder and Director of the Music Business and Entrepreneurship program at the University of North Texas, which is not far from my hometown of Fort W...
2022-06-1040 min
The Unstarving Musician232 Kevin Breuner On Small Town Poets, CD Baby, Music Distribution And DIY Musician EducationKevin Breuner of CD Baby joins me in this episode to discuss music distribution, education for the DIY musician, his journey with CD Baby, his band Small Town Poets, and the DIY Musician podcast. CD Baby started out as a place where musicians could circumvent the middleman by selling music CDs direct to fans. It has since evolved into an artist-services platform that helps independent musicians to distribute, promote, and monetize their music outside of the major-label system. Kevin recently celebrated 16 years with CD Baby. When he joined the company, his job was to talking...
2022-05-2049 min
The Unstarving Musician231 The Mystery of The Flounder – Cozi Anda FlounderMy conversations with Cozi and Ezra Vancil did not reveal the mystery of the flounder that is Cozi Anda Flounder. I assume that Ezra is the flounder, but they weren't exactly forthcoming about the meaning of the flounder. Ezra implied that the band has vowed never to speak of the flounder. The duo are the founding members of Cozi Anda Flounder. In this episode, I speak with Cozi and Ezra in two separate conversations, which were originally intended to be two separate episodes. My first conversation is with Cozi Vancil, the young and sultry voice of Cozi Anda Flounder.
2022-04-291h 25
The Unstarving Musician230 Stick To Your Guns And Your Vision–Harrison MarcelloStick to your guns and your vision is what Harrison Marcello of the rock band TEMPT recommends to young bands. This, he says, helps bands stay ready for whatever projects may come their way. He's a founding member, guitarist and one of the songwriters in TEMPT. The New York City based band has a love for the old school 80s rock sound, which I believe gives them a melodic and pop sensibility. TEMPT reminded me of Def Leppard upon first listen. The band's younger audiences likely hear them as fresh and new, from a genre perspective. Old...
2022-04-0938 min
The Unstarving Musician229 Showing Up Again And Again – Peter Wilson of Four Trips Ahead Peter Wilson and his bandmates in Four Trips Ahead have been showing up again and again to build a following around their music. The New York based hard rock band punched their way through the pandemic by releasing new music and preparing for the return of live music. In this conversation we talk about Peter's vinyl collection, his band's journey into self producing, comparisons and genres used to describe the band's music, radio expectations for hard rock, Peter's interest in reaching latin markets, generating income during the pandemic, and more. Peter...
2022-03-2537 min
The Gigging Musician PodcastGetting Paid for What You Are Worth with The Unstarving Musician - RobonzoIn this episode, Jared interviews Robonzo, the host of the Unstarving Musician Podcast. He shares his journey as a musician and provides advice for other musicians. He talks about the different ways that you can make money as a musician in today's world and gives some great advice on how to get started. He also shares his own experiences with gigging and offers some great tips for aspiring musicians.
2022-03-2026 min
The Unstarving Musician227 Creativity, Music, Entrepreneurship and Leadership – David Andrew Wiebe David Andrew Wiebe thinks about creativity, music, entrepreneurship and leadership in everything he does. He is a musician, composer and published author with three best sellers. Among his books is the 2022 edition of The Music Entrepreneur Code, which David says is more ninja than its predecessor. He is also the host/creator of The New Music Industry Podcast, and he wants to share what he knows with musicians that want to get ahead. Hear David Andrew Wiebe in his first appearance on the Unstarving Musician (Ep 132). In this conversation we discuss his Elite...
2022-02-2530 min
The Unstarving Musician226 We Are All Musicians Now – Zack O'Malley GreenburgZack O'Malley Greenburg is working on a new book project called We Are All Musicians Now. He calls artists canaries in the coal mine of modern business. Zack has written a a few books on hip hop, which include the Jay-Z biography Empire State of Mind and A-List Angels: How a Band of Actors, Artists and Athletes Hacked Silicon Valley. He was a senior editor at Forbes for about ten years. He has also written for the Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, Los Angeles Times, Variety, Billboard, Vibe, Sports Illustrated and several other big and noteworthy publications. Lending even more legitimacy...
2022-02-1444 min
Creativity Excitement Emotion259 – Growth – with Robonzo of The Unstarving MusicianWhat would it look like to start a new podcast? How do you market your music effectively? What are the most important tools you could be taking advantage of in 2022?
That’s what we’re going to be looking at in this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast.
Podcast Highlights:
00:35 – Robonzo returns
01:46 – Robonzo’s new podcast startup program
09:56 – The importance of segmenting your audience
12:16 – Is it too late to get into the podcast game?
18:00 – Robonzo’s latest singles
22:12 – How has Robonzo been holding up during the pandemic?
27:07 – What was Robonzo’s approach to writing lyrics?
28:35 – What are the most important music marketing...
2022-01-0741 min
The Unstarving Musician221 The Excitement Of Press Coverage And "Amelia"–OttoUK music artist Otto found excitement over the press coverage for his summer release "Amelia." There was a noteworthy moment leading up to this excitement. Otto caught the attention of Eurythmics co founder Dave Stewart. Otto had been holed up in his historic post office apartment when we last spoke, but the solitude allowed Otto to do a good deal of songwriting and recording. In this conversation Otto details his excitement over the press coverage for "Amelia," which included an interview with BBC Radio presenter Janice Long and the attention he received from various BBC Radio outlets. We also...
2021-12-0331 min
The Unstarving Musician217 Making Music For Friendship And Legacy – Ryan RosoffRyan Rosoff is making music for friendship and legacy. His band Little King explores the intersection of metal and prog rock. They have a new album out called Amuse De Q, now streaming just about everywhere. We talk about his travels, his roots in the Seattle sound of the 90s, music as a career outside of a career, leaving a legacy, practicing music and life for motivation, meditation, venturing into the world of TikTok and more. Ryan reminded me that the limitations of our time and existence are worth daily contemplation. I found our conversation and his outlook on...
2021-10-0839 min
The Unstarving Musician215 Lynz Crichton's Music Marketing MethodLynz Crichton is the creator of Music Marketing Method, a program that shows musicians how to make money with their music. She is also a friend and mentor to me. I am part of the student body that is her Music Marketing Method program. Lynz believes that generating an income with music doesn't have to be about just playing live. She first appeared on this podcast in 2017, when she estimates her Twitter following was about 5,000 followers. Lynz's Twitter following is now at about 32k. She knows how to grow an audience on social media. Her music career...
2021-09-1746 min
The Unstarving Musician208 Anna Larson Shares Her Passions For Music, Story Telling And BeautyMy guest Anna Larson shares her passion for music, story telling and beauty for this episode. I found her in my email inbox one day not long ago. She sent me a textbook perfect pitch asking if I'd be interested in having her on the podcast. We talk about that email and more. Anna has been playing piano since childhood, graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a music degree, is a piano teacher, and has a background in theater production, sound, lighting, and performing. She's recently taken to growing her knowledge for the marketing...
2021-07-1648 min
The Unstarving Musician205 New Gods Part 2 Co-Writer Peter Rand Peter Rand is the co-writer of my latest release New Gods Part 2. He is also a two time offender on the podcast, first appearing in episode 177. Hear New Gods Part 2 Peter is a member of the collaboration platform Kompoz having contributed over 800 tracks. When I signed up for Kompoz last year, his track New Gods was among the first I heard. At that time it was keyboards only. I contributed a drum track via Kompoz and eventually asked Peter if we could create a private collaboration to be published by yours truly. He...
2021-06-2537 min
The Unstarving Musician204 Artist Development And Struggles Of The Emerging Artists – Lars DeutschLA based producer Lars Deutsch shares his thoughts on artist development and the typical struggles of emerging artists. We're acquainted by way of mutual friends at SoundStorming, the musician/fan collaboration app for iPhone. At the time of our conversation in February of this year 2021, Lars was excited about an artist he'd been working with. That artist is Amiena. Our conversation was well timed on the heels of another artist development related episode with Davis Franz (episode 203). My discussion with Lars touches on the artist development world, his own broad career, struggles of the emerging artist, audio b...
2021-06-1843 min
The Unstarving Musician202 Finding A Creative Outlet In Online Collaboration–Timothy ReidBritish guitarist and composer Timothy Reid found a creative outlet in online collaboration during the pandemic. He found this podcast on his daily train commute in Osaka Japan. Lucky me (and you). He and I share the common threads of Kompoz.com and Peter Rand, who is a prolific member of the collaboration website Kompoz. Like me, Timothy was drawn to one of Peter's compositions and has since recorded music with him. Timothy has also recorded with several other artists on and off of Kompoz. Our initial conversations leading up to this interview were about Timothy's enjoyment of this...
2021-06-0447 min
Greetings From WhereverEpisode 15- Robonzo (Podcasting)Roberto R Hernandez, AKA Robonzo, and I got into a great conversation about Podcasting as an artistic medium. So, what I'm trying to say is this is a podcast about podcasts. Woah... Really, though. It's a medium that's been picking up steam for quite some time so I thought it would be great to chat about it with someone that has been doing it at a high level for quite some time. Check out his show, The Unstarving Musician, to learn all about the business side of being an independent musician. You can actually find me...
2021-03-221h 13
The Unstarving Musician188 On Top of The World–Lara Price Interviews Robonzo About Debut Single This episode features a conversation with singer-songwriter Lara Price. In this experimental episode, Lara interviews me about the release of On Top Of The World (out today, Friday January 8, 2021). Lara is an amazing singer, performer and songwriter, making this conversation a big honor for me. We met in San Jose, California some 18 years ago. Lara is currently based in Austin, Texas. Our conversation includes some dissection of my new song plus: publishing, marketing, sync placement, collaboration, collaborating, the art of storytelling and creating a bridge. Lara also shares many of her experiences and thoughts on...
2021-01-0844 minThe Unstarving Musician187 On Top Of The World – Ezra Vancil Interviews Robonzo About Debut Single In this episode, Ezra Vancil interviews me about my forthcoming debut single On Top Of The World. We cover the history and process of my songwriting, using public proclamation as a source of accountability, various technical challenges I faced in writing and recording the song, the players involved, and the forthcoming video. On Top Of The World drops January 8th, 2021. Download it for free at Robonzo.com. Our discussion covers themes common among creative individuals. Taking the leap from "wanting" to singing one's own music to actually writing and recording a song is...
2020-12-1859 min
The Unstarving Musician185 The Many Ways Musicians Are Adapting To Change–Dave CoolDave Cool of Bandzoogle returns for a second time on the Unstarving Musician. The last time he was on was episode 142, recorded on March 20th of this year at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dave is VP of Business Development at Bandzoogle. In this follow-up conversation we discuss a wide range of topics, including: The newish partnership between CD Baby and Bandzoogle Ways musicians around the world are adapting to change What Bandzoogle's data says about fan support Naming your price with a minimum price for online music sales The increased output of resource articles...
2020-12-0457 minThe Unstarving Musician174 Emerging Collaboration Tools Could Bring Life to New Music Genres – Grant Tilbury, TrackdThis is the third in a multi-part series related to the world of online music collaboration, which has turned out to be much more than I expected. There are a number of truly innovative and interesting approaches happening. In this episode, I speak with Grant Tilbury of Trackd, the mobile app that allows musicians to capture and share ideas. Trackd is a collaboration platform and 8-track studio on your phone. Grant and the team at Trackd believe a new set of tools emerging in the collaboration space could help music artists make money with their craft and...
2020-09-0637 min
Redefine The HustleEp79: Music-Preneur Spotlight: RobonzoRobonzo, a musician who's made a career from gigging and coaching others on how to do the same, shares his secrets on how to build a sustainable career doing what you love and how to take action before you're ready.For all links, resources, and free downloads from this episode, visit the full set of show notes here: http://therockstaradvocate.com/ep79THANKS FOR LISTENING!If you liked what you heard, help get this podcast in front of others by subscribing, rating, and leaving a re...
2020-03-0732 minCreativity Excitement Emotion164 – How to be a Happy & Profitable Live Performer – with Robonzo of The Unstarving MusicianDo you wish you could play better gigs? Do you want to engage in the type of projects and work that will leave you feeling happy and fulfilled?
In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I pass the mic with Robonzo of The Unstarving Musician, who’s got a podcast and a book of his own. He shares how he was able to build a profitable live performance career and how he helps other musicians do the same.
Podcast Highlights:
00:34 – The podcasting journey
01:39 – How did you get started with The Unstarving Musician?
04:59 – The value of subbing
08:20 – Being a good hang
...
2019-11-2145 min
Break the BusinessEp 198: Helping musicians succeed with Robonzo of the Unstarving Musician PodcastOur guest this week is Robonzo. He is an author, indie artist, and the host of the Unstarving Musician Podcast, a weekly interview series featuring interviews with musicians and music space professionals that you can check out on Spotify, Google, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and more. We talk to Robonzo about his main area of expertise: reaching your full potential as a live performer. We talk about creating your own gigs in your local community and how to do house concerts effectively. Today’s indie artists have more opportunities than ever in the live performance space, and Robonzo has incredible insight on...
2019-09-2219 minThe Unstarving Musician121 Rock Star Advocate Suz Paulinski on Musician Mindset In this episode I speak with musician mindset coach and mentor Suz Paulinski of The Rock/Star Advocate. We talk about the DIY Musician Conference, her upcoming MusicPreneur Mindset Summit and the one thing she recommends to musicians who seek a better way. We also talk about her MusicPreneur podcast, on which I'm an upcoming guest. Episode Highlights We begin by chatting about the DIY Musician Conference and go on to discuss: Understanding the music-preneur mindset How the MusicPreneur Summit originated What brings someone to hire a coach Creating sustainable habits and mindset shifts...
2019-09-1351 minThe Unstarving Musician120 Igniting Creativity and Restarting a Music Career–Glasys In this episode I speak with pianist, synthesist, producer, vocalist and songwriter Glasys. We talk about his immigration from Israel to Portland, Oregon, discovering a new local music scene, and the pivotal moments that lead to touring and recording with Todd Rundgren. I discovered Glasys while listening to the Music Business Hacks podcast and related to his big move from Israel to Portland, and how that affects your music career. In my case that was from Texas to California, and ultimately to Panama. We talk about how he grew his audiences through posting...
2019-09-0648 minThe Unstarving Musician119 Giving Back to Austin's Youth - Brian WolffBrian Wolff of Fair City Fire is giving back to Austin's youth as Community Engagement Coordinator with a nonprofit called Kids In a New Groove. In this episode we talk about how this work and the mission keeps him connected to his music, the release of his band's new single Simple Stupid and much more. Episode Highlights We start the episode by talking about Kids In a New Groove and go on to discuss: Shifting from mentoring to joining the Kids In a New Groove team The realities of foster care Balancing the mentor t...
2019-08-3054 minThe Unstarving Musician118 Aki Kumar Signs with Sony IndiaOnly a few episodes ago I was joined by Bollywood Blues artist, Aki Kumar. Aki had some exciting news at the time that was under wraps, so I wanted to have him back to announce his signing with Sony Music India and the release of his single Dilruba. Episode Highlights We start by discussing the Sony Music India launch of his music video, and go on to discuss: How this opportunity has opened him up to a new yet familiar market The unusual nature of a Hindi artist in a Blues world How his relationship with...
2019-08-2824 minThe Unstarving Musician117 A New Single and a Horror Film–My Name is ChapelThe artist known as My Name is Chapel releases a new single called Taxi Cab today. Chapel is also in the midst of producing and scoring his first film. We discuss this, his recent full-length album, the origins of his name, and more. Episode Highlights We start by discussing our shared connection of previous guest Chris Avetta and go on to discuss: The process of producing his album Empire State How Amy Schumer inspired him The story behind his new single His love of vinyl The inspiration for his artist name His horror movie project Why...
2019-08-2355 minThe Unstarving Musician116 Music Career Growth, Podcasting and Activism–Simon TamIn this dual interview episode, I speak with Simon Tam about all he's doing for the music community through podcasting, public speaking and writing. We also talk about his activism and support for other artists. Then we switch seats and Simon interviews me for his Music Business Hacks podcast. Episode Highlights We start the conversation by talking about Simon's process for creating 300+ podcast episodes to date, and go on to discuss: His passion for the business side of music Representation of Asian Americans by Simon and The Slants The Supreme Court battle for his band's name...
2019-08-1652 min
Music Business Hacks#357 - Interview: How to be an Unstarving Musician with RobonzoAbout Robonzo: Roberto R. Hernandez (aka Robonzo) is a part-time professional drummer and vocalist, who performs with multiple bands throughout the course of any given year. While he’s most at home performing on a drum kit, Robonzo also regularly gigs with a Cajon, Djembe and other accoutrements of percussion. He’s worked with original artists and cover bands in and around San Jose, California since 2001. Although he’s a predominately self-taught drummer, Robonzo has in recent years become a student of the acclaimed online educator Mike Johnston at MikesLessons.com. Robonzo played his first gig at a coll...
2019-08-1549 minThe Unstarving Musician114 Unstarving Musician's Guide to Getting Paid Gigs–Chapters 5-6This is the third installment and re-release of The Unstarving Musician's Guide to Getting Paid Gigs. The episode is dedicated to chapters five and six, in which I discuss the importance of managing your gig schedule and boosting that revenue stream. Episode Highlights Gaining control of your gig schedule, creating multiple sources of income, and increasing your demand are among the topics I explore in chapters five and six. How to carefully manage your schedule while working with multiple bands The various benefits of working with multiple bands How to share the marketing load...
2019-08-0227 minThe Unstarving Musician109 Musicians Supporting One Another with Community and Collaboration–Lindsay WhiteLindsay White and a musicians community called the Lady Brain Collective are supporting each another through teaching, knowledge sharing, and collaboration. We talk about the Lady Brain community, the upcoming Lady Brain Fest, Patreon, gratitude journaling, saying "no," and more. Episode Highlights This is a return appearance by Lindsay. We begin by getting an update on her current projects, and go on to discuss: Her Game of Thrones songwriting competition Creating music for the San Diego Women's March The growth of Lady Brain (the musicians community, events, the festival, etc.) How she balances life...
2019-06-2858 minThe Unstarving Musician106 One of the Best Ways to Get Good Musician Gigs – Unstarving Musician's Guide Chapters 3-4One the best ways to get good musician gigs is by building good relationships. The primary theme of this episode is relationships. This is the second installment and re-release of The Unstarving Musician's Guide to Getting Paid Gigs. This episode is dedicated to chapters three and four, which are among the first few podcast episodes I ever recorded. I also share a big announcement. If you need a little help and guidance moving the proverbial needle in your musician journey, tune in! You'll learn about a special offer related to the big announcement. Intrigued? Be...
2019-06-1024 minThe Unstarving Musician105 Chapters 1-2 of The Unstarving Musician's GuideThis episode is a two chapter reading of The Unstarving Musician's Guide to Getting Paid Gigs. These chapters were the first two podcast episodes I ever recorded. (I'm reflecting on the original podcast for the book while visiting Greve, Italy. My wife and I are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary.) Also in this episode, I respond to listener emails that discuss finding the right musicians to work with, teaching music for the right reasons, and one regular listeners take on the podcast. About the Book The book is based on my personal experience...
2019-06-0242 minThe Unstarving Musician85 Blues, Folk and Change–Tony HarrahTony Harrah and I began our conversation for this episode "off-air." I asked about his website, which is powered by Bandzoogle. This question was for my own market research purposes. There are a couple of areas on his website site, which looks great by the way, that are "under construction." Given that I speak with so many DIY musicians, I was curious to know if he's perhaps struggling to keep up with the site. I learned that it has been a bit of challenge to update the website, but the reasons for this were not what I expected. Tony...
2019-01-111h 00The Unstarving Musician84 Producer, Musician, and Songwriter – Jamie Hill Jamie Hill is a producer, musician, and songwriter with a soft spot for vulnerable voices. To clarify, Jamie says he's specifically interested in female voices, gay voices, trans voices, and brown voices. He also prefers socially conscious artists and art over entertainment. He's co host of the podcast Misfit Stars, along side his singing songwriting spouse Shannon Curtis. Jamie says the podcast is for their community. It's also a vehicle for their career that involves Patreon and community-only episodes. As Jamie puts it, the more ways you give your community to support you, the more likely they a...
2019-01-041h 08The Unstarving Musician83 Holiday Cheer 2018 – RobonzoThis is a short holiday message to say thanks, reflect on the good things that happened in 2018, plus a couple of announcements for the New Year 2019. In gratitude... SHOW NOTES Jamie Hill Partner4Leads Conundrum by Groove Camp Sweet Groovalicious Funk Machine (Brian Crumrine's band) House Concert Tours & Community – Shannon Curtis RESOURCES FOR MUSICIANS The Unstarving Musician's Guide to Getting Paid Gigs, by Robonzo Growth Farming the Seth Godin Way, a FREE ebook by D Grant Smith More resources for musicians
2018-12-2811 minThe Unstarving Musician82 Balancing Music, Visual Art and Fatherhood – Eric Bolander Lexington Kentucky based songwriter Eric Bolander is a working musician and visual arts teacher. We were introduced by fellow songwriter and artist Abe Partridge, who has also been featured on this podcast. Check out Abe's episode Eric is notably excited about a new relationship with Eastwood Records. Eastwood is working with Eric on the re-release of his 2017 album The Wind. There's plenty to be excited about. The promotional activity for this re-release offers a potential boost for Eric's music career. Among the topics we discuss (not necessarily in this order) are self doubt...
2018-12-2151 minThe Unstarving Musician81 San Antonio Singer Songwriter – Laura Marie San Antonio based singer songwriter Laura Marie and I were connected by way of mutual friend and former Unstarving Musician's Podcast guest Chris Taylor. I'm very happy with the outcome of this episode! I always enjoy interviewing music artists for this podcast–always. However, sometimes I get a wee bit off-track. I often get lost in conversation. This is the result of having so much fun speaking with the artist I'm interviewing. In these instances it's easy to lose sight of you the listener. I may not ask enough of the questions that matter. But I think this conversation wi...
2018-12-1458 minThe Unstarving Musician79 Music Performance Coach Vicki AmbinderVicki Ambinder is a Music Performance Coach and Artistic Consultant. She helps musicians and bands of all ages, experience levels and genres improve and enhance their live and studio performance skills. She also helps musicians and bands work toward their artistic goals. Our conversation touches on details of what she provides for clients as a performance coach. She explains what artist development means in her world and gives insight her compassion based approach. Vicki draws from her personal and professional experience as a musician, producer, session singer, songwriter, and actor. She teaches master classes and workshops in...
2018-11-3036 minThe Unstarving Musician78 Happy Holidays from RobonzoThis short episode is a holiday message to all my my indie music artist friends, fans of live music, friends and family of Unstarving Musician's Podcast guests. It's also a way for me to take the week off in observance of Thanksgiving. I got permission from music performance coach Vicki Ambinder, who I interviewed this week. She's a coach, and that's what she does sometimes (gives permission). You'll hear her in an upcoming episode. My gratitude and appreciation goes out to: Everyone who has contributed to the podcast Thanks and appreciation to my guests, editor, former band mates, members of the...
2018-11-2301 minThe Unstarving Musician77 Writing, Recording, and Finding Balance – Ian Salazar Ian Salazar recently turned 21. He's been playing guitar since he could hold one, probably starting around age six. He plays for two Dallas Fort Worth bands and does a bit of solo work. He's also a recording engineer and producer, working from both his own home studio and Redwood Studio of Denton Texas. Needless to say, he's in search of balance. We're acquainted by way of my friendship with his parents. His father is quite a musician and a former bandmate of mine. Our conversation was an opportunity for me to learn about the mindset...
2018-11-1649 minThe Unstarving Musician75 Gritty, Sassy, Rock and Blues Goodness – Ginger Leigh Austin area native Ginger Leigh is a life long entertainer and performer. She comes from five generations of music biz professionals. Her music is a blend of gritty, sassy rock and blues goodness. In our conversation for this episode 75, Ginger and I talk about touring, marketing, recording, performing, giving and much more. Hear the title track of her latest release Hey Funky You at the end of this episode. Read bonus content related to this episode. SHOW NOTES GLeigh.com Ginger Leigh on YouTube Mickey Jack Cones That's My Desire from Amazing Love at the Stateside Super H...
2018-11-1252 minThe Unstarving Musician76 House Concert Tours & Community – Shannon CurtisShannon Curtis has made house concerts the anchor of her music career since 2011. She tried the traditional route of touring cafes, college shows, and clubs. Her assessment of that traditional route is that it was really a slog. Growth was slow. In 2011 that all changed when a fan invited her to perform in her living room for donations. Shannon told me that performance was a transformative and wonderful time. She also said that evening was filled with everything that drives her to create. Shannon had several West Coast shows booked at that time in 2011. Following that house show, she...
2018-11-0949 minThe Unstarving Musician74 Rolling with the Indie Musician Life – Lannie Flowers Lannie Flowers is one of my indie musician pals who resides in the Dallas Fort Worth area of Texas. In this second appearance for the podcast, Lannie discusses the long process of making his forthcoming album Home. The project has apparently been wrought with challenges. I had no idea this was the case when I invited him back to the podcast. In fact, I was surprised by the magnitude of obstacles, challenges, and frustrations that have come with the making of this album. The project is about eight years in the making, as of the time of...
2018-10-2652 minThe Unstarving Musician72 Making Music with an Open Heart and Mind – Jon Christopher Davis Jon Christopher Davis (aka JCD) is a Dallas-Fort Worth based music artist. He's written songs for the likes of Dolly Parton, Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles, Billy Ray Cyrus, and many other noteworthys. He's recorded for Warner Brothers, Sony and MCA Records. He's been featured on a number of major TV and cable networks. His discography includes work with Vince Gill, Stan Lynch (The Heartbreakers), and for producers who've worked with Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Prince, and Jonny Lang. What's in a resume? Don't let his resume fool you. The music industry has changed...
2018-10-121h 01The Unstarving Musician70 Setting the Intention to Make Music Full Time – Eli LevSetting the Intention to Make Music Full Time – Eli Lev My interview with Eli Lev was recording on Labor Day 2018, the US holiday that commemorates hard working Americans. I like to think it commemorates hard working people everywhere. Eli is definitely among the hard working. He's working hard to figure out what it takes to be a full time musician. It appears he's doing something right. Eli introduced himself to me by way of Twitter. After listening to his work and looking at what he's doing on social and the webs, I circled back to ask if he...
2018-09-281h 00The Unstarving Musician69 Balancing Authenticity, Appearances, and Fun – Lee Coulter Lisa Sanders (featured in episode 66) made reference to Jason Mraz when she talked about Lee Coulter. She said that the excitement around Lee is similar to the excitement everyone had about Jason Mraz when he first hit the local music scene in San Diego California. Lee is currently on a roll with a #1 single on iTunes in Australia and New Zealand. He's also been featured on Sirius XM's Coffee House channel, which dub him "the discovery of the year." This is obviously an exciting time in Lee's career, and things are actually going quite well. Lee comes...
2018-09-2156 minThe Unstarving Musician66 Indie Label to Indie Mindset – Lisa Sanders Lisa Sanders was once signed with an indie label, which gave her the gift of an indie mindset. Her latest release Shiver is her eighth CD. She's worked alongside The Truckee Brothers, Lucinda Williams, Bonnie Rait, Al Green, BB King, and Babyface among others. Our conversation covers the San Diego music scene, touring, the thought process behind her career decisions, tips for fellow artists, her good friend and musical companion Brown Sugar, working to help the homeless, and more. Her music is as soulful and delightful as her personality. Please enjoy. SHOW NOTES
2018-08-311h 05The Unstarving Musician65 Creating Music to Discover Who He Is – Chris TaylorChris Taylor creates music and art like a madman. He's a man of a thousand faces in my eyes. Check out his website to see what I mean. In this episode we talk about why he creates so prolifically, how he's connecting with fans, his latest release, upcoming projects, and much more. His latest album is an acoustic trip through his music catalogue, and a postcard of sorts to his fans. Then there's his artwork, which is as passion filled as his music. When singer songwriter Dean Johanesen recommended I ask Chris to be on...
2018-08-241h 09The Unstarving Musician62 Tapping into the House Concert Scene–RobonzoI've been fascinated with house concerts for years, but my interest went up recently following my interview with Ezra Vancil for The Unstarving Musician's Podcast. Then Ray Prim made an appearance on the podcast, and shared his experience with house concerts in the Austin area. And then self-proclaimed ambassador of house concerts Tom Meny came on to the podcast. He clued me in to tidbits and resources that got elevated my interest even more. Since these interviews, I've spoken with Amy Killingsworth who founded and co-produces Amy & Gary's House Concerts. Amy gave me the host perspective, so...
2018-08-0333 minThe Unstarving Musician59 Life and Songwriting on the Road–Crystal & Pete DamoreLife and songwriting on the road was the underscoring theme of my interview with Crystal & Pete Damore of Ordinary Elephant. We actually discuss a number of topics including how they've grown their Spotify audience, songwriting camps, the daily practice of object writing, music festival showcase gigs, and the importance of their fan newsletter. But all of this is enveloped by a nomadic life on the road, and music of course. A Lifestyle Change The couple made a big lifestyle change in 2014, trading their home and many possessions for life in an RV. My impression is...
2018-07-1144 minThe Unstarving Musician58 The Austin Based Soul of Mingo Fishtrap–Roger Blevins Jr Singer Songwriter Roger Blevins Jr is the driving force of Austin based Mingo Fishtrap. He grew up listening to R&B, soul, funk, metal, hip-hop, and a little rock, but Mingo Fishtrap is known for the sound of Texas soul. In this episode Roger and I discuss a songwriting accountability group that has driven him to set up his perfect home studio. The group has also greatly helped with his productivity as a songwriter, having amassed a collection of about 200 original songs. We also discuss Roger's reflections on important lessons learned in music school at the University...
2018-07-0648 minThe Unstarving Musician57 Rediscovering Me – Singer Songwriter Jennifer Vazquez Singer songwriter Jennifer Vazquez came to me out of the blue, the blue canvas of Twitter. I was checking my alerts, glancing at the feed and there she was, promoting her latest album Rediscovering Me. Jennifer grew up in and around the Bronx of NY. She has spent a good deal of time in LA, but now calls Nashville home. Before we even spoke, I got a sense that Jennifer has a mindset built on giving and a belief in abundance. It's true, and you'll hear it in the stories she tells. Here are a...
2018-06-2955 minThe Unstarving Musician56 Synesthesia and the Evolution of SHAPESCENES–Chase AndersonSHAPESCENES is a reference to synesthesia. My guest in this episode is Chase Anderson, lead singer and guitarist for the Austin band SHAPESCENES. Chase says when he was a kid listening to music, he could close his eyes and see notes, tones and chords as specific complex shape and color combinations. He referred to those visuals as shape scenes. With age and expanding music knowledge, this experience faded. Synesthesia clearly gave way to a great deal of talent. As a live band SHAPESCENES has been described by many as a wall of sound. Their forthcoming release Empyrean...
2018-06-2238 min