GARY CALAMAR NEW ALBUM ODD NUMB3RS AND SLANTED RHYMES NOW OUT ON BIG STIR RECORDSGary Calamar is a film and television music supervisor who has been nominated five times for Grammy Awards. His credits include The Man In The High Castle, Six Feet Under, True Blood, House, Weeds, Entourage, Dexter, Varsity Blues, and 3 Body Problem.  

As a DJ this century, he hosted a lengthy stint on radio station KCRW-FM before moving to 88.5 KCSN-FM in September 2018 with his Sunday 2-4 p.m. shift, The Open Road.

In 2010, Calamar’s first book was published by Sterling, Record Store Days: From Vinyl to Digital and Back Again, co-authored by music journalist Phil Gallo, with a foreword by REM’s Peter Buck. It examines the story of the development of record stores.     

Calamar is also a singer, songwriter, and recording artist.

In 2014, Atlantic Records issued Gary’s debut EP, You Are What You Listen To.

Calamar's new album, ODD NUMB3RS and SLANTED RHYMES, is now available via Big Stir Records. The album is a compilation of his previous singles along with 3 new tracks featuring Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh on “I Got An Idea,” and Robyn Hitchcock on "Who Are We Gonna Be Today."

Calamar lives with his wife in Los Angeles, California. They have a daughter, Zoe.

If you are in Studio City, CA, on November 24th at 7:00 pm, Gary will have a record release party at Licorice Pizza. 12230 Ventura Blvd. 

Q: Besides your radio and music supervision work, over the years, did you ever have plans to record as a solo artist? Were you in teenage bands or ever played in clubs?  

A: NO. I was a big music nerd fan growing up, but it never crossed my mind that I would ever have an album of original songs out. Ever since seeing The Fab Four on my grandparents’ black and white TV in the Bronx in February 1964, I wanted to somehow get involved with this Rock and Roll thing one way or another. Fortunately, I had an older brother, Ronny, who guided me in the early days and turned me on to the great artists of the British Invasion and L.A. scene. My favorite afternoon was going through the racks in a record store.  I always loved wordplay, and I would make up little songs about teasing my brother or mocking my teachers at school, but it never got to the point where I would call myself a songwriter.

I had a friend who taught me a few chords that I tried to wrap my fingers around, and I played, just for fun, in my bedroom. Eventually I got a little better and made some progress. I was playing sloppy versions of “Wild Thing” and “My Generation” and eventually started to write some songs.  I recorded a rough cassette, “Four Dead Presidents”, and slipped it to Gary Stewart at Rhino Records, and he gave me $500.00 to go and properly record my handful of songs. I recorded the songs with Mike Randle and John Would and “released” a cassette, ADVANCE in 1991. I played a few local shows, and I continued to write.

When I was music supervising the HBO show Six Feet Under, I was working with Atlantic Records on the soundtrack, and I played the VP, Kevin Weaver, some of my songs. He liked them, and he offered to have them recorded, and we released the EP, You Are What You Listen To, which got some good reviews and airplay in 2014.

Q: You emerged from the record retail world and had managerial stints at Moby Disc, Rhino, and Licorice Pizza. Looking back, how might the retail experience have influenced your journey in the record and music world?  You did write a book last decade about record stores and shops that coincided with Record Store Day. 

A: I wanted to get close to the music anyway I could, and working at a record store seemed achievable. My first job was part-time at the record department at Gimbels in Yonkers, NY. I was so excited and so into it that they made me a manager after about a month. They eventually closed down that department, and I joined some friends on a road trip to Los Angeles. The weekend I got here, The Talking Heads were doing a free show at UCLA, Nick Lowe was playing at The Roxy Theatre, everybody was raving about a band called The Knack, and I was tuning in to Rodney Bingenheimer on the radio at KROQ. This Yonkers boy was thrilled to be in the land of The Beach Boys and The Byrds. It took a while, but I eventually landed a job as a manager trainee at Licorice Pizza in Pasadena, and I loved it. I eventually managed the Norwalk and West L.A. stores. We did in-store appearances with Madness and ASIA. I was offered an in-store with X early in their career, but I was afraid the punks would tear the store down, and regretfully I passed.

It was later at Moby Disc where I met my producer, John Would, who owned a cassette duplication business upstairs, and we worked on music together. Listening to full albums all day long was a perfect education for the radio and music supervision jobs which came later.

When working at the Rhino store in Westwood, I was introduced to KCRW who had a close relationship to the store. Several of the people I connected with at record stores are still in my life today.

Q: Let’s talk about your Sunday afternoon radio shift, The Open Road, on KCSN- FM (88.5), playing the signature sounds of "Adventurous Pop Music both timely and timeless." How do you program your shift, and what is the intention behind the programming and sequencing? You really don’t do interviews.

A: My wife, Ali, was friends with one of the DJ’s at KCRW, and I was very interested in getting my foot in there. They had a spot for me in the music library a few hours a week, but she made it very clear that if my goal is to get a show on the air, I should forget it. It’s not gonna happen. I got friendly with the then music director Chris Douridas, and he could see I was a serious music guy. One day, as I was entering CD titles in the computer, he mentioned that they were going to be looking for a Saturday overnight person. What? I jumped out of my chair and literally got on my knees and begged him to give me a shot. He did, and I am forever grateful to Chris. 

Being a DJ on the radio is my favorite job. Fortunately, on KCRW and now at KCSN, I get to play what I want to play and don’t have to follow any pre- arranged playlists. I came up with that slogan “Adventurous Pop Music Both Timely and Timeless,” and it’s a good description for what I try to do every week.  There is such a wealth of great music on my personal playlist since I saw The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show in The Bronx, and more great artists coming out all the time. I like to have some fun with the music, and let people know about bands coming to town and reflect on current events with fun and creative sets.

Q: You were previously heard on KCRW-FM. You did interviews with Brian Wilson, Jeff Tweedy, Wayne Coyne, and film composers Elmer Bernstein, Thomas Newman, Lalo Schiffrin, and Danny Elfman. Reflect on your tenure at KCRW-FM?      

A: I owe a lot to my time at KCRW. I feel I was there during a great time for the station, and it really put me on the map.  The station was the cultural center of Los Angeles, and I was honored to be a part of the team. I learned a lot from DJ’s Chris Douridas, Liza Richardson, and later Nic Harcourt. I was also impressed by their music supervision projects and inspired to try and follow their lead.  I had some great interview guests at KCRW. At KCSN, I don’t do that as much but have had John Doe from X and Robyn Hitchcock sit in with me.

Q:  You have a new album just released by Big Stir Records. It follows your 2014 EP on Atlantic Records. How did this just-issued album come together for Big Stir? I know the endeavor was partially birthed emerging out of your produced Mimosa Music Series at the Federal Bar.

A: Releasing an album was always something that was in the back of my mind, but I didn’t actively pursue it. I didn’t send tapes to record labels or anything like that. When I met Rex and Christina from Big Stir Records at The Federal Bar, they told me about their label, and we found that we had a common love for left-field pop music. They were somewhat familiar with my work as they were fans of the band Eggplant, who had done an early cover of my song, “I Got An Idea”. I casually mentioned that they should put out an album of mine and left it there. I didn’t really think anything would come of it, but they reached out to me a few months later to discuss a release.  

Q: How did the series begin? I know it was first a gathering at your home, and artists like Donovan played in your backyard.

A: When I started The Mimosa Music Series my work as a music supervisor was peaking. I was working on Six Feet Under, Dexter, Weeds, House, True Blood, and others. So, I worked with the record labels to do a showcase series for their artists and invite music supervisors to my house in Laurel Canyon. It was a daytime series so it didn’t conflict with their evening shows. It caught on, and it was fun. We had great artists like Donovan, John Doe, Steve Earle, Roseanne Cash, Robyn Hitchcock, Dave Alvin, Iron and Wine, John Hiatt and many more. The crowds were getting bigger, too big for the house.

My beautiful wife strongly suggested that we move these shows out of the house. Fortunately, The Federal Bar in North Hollywood was very happy to continue the series there. It was great. We had more amazing showcases with free admission, free bagels, and free mimosas. When the pandemic hit, we pulled the plug, but it was a very special time.

Q: Mark Mothersbaugh and Robyn Hitchcock collaborated with you on the album. I imagine you knew them from your radio shifts. How was the creative process with them on the songs they were involved with? Did you have demos that were then brought to fruition?

A: YES. “I Got An Idea” was one of the first songs I ever wrote, and now having Mark Mothersbaugh on the track it feels complete. It came about organically. We live in the same neighborhood in Laurel Canyon in Los Angeles, and our daughters went to school together, and we shared carpools. Although we are friends, I was nervous about asking him, but thankfully he dug the track, and I am grateful that he wanted to work with me on it.

Robyn is an amazing artist and a beautiful guy, and our paths have crossed many times over the years. One thing I always remember is when I did my very first radio show, I was subbing for someone on the overnight shift. One of the songs I played was Bob Dylan’s “Desolation Row”, all eleven minutes. As it turns out, Robyn was scheduled to be a guest on the popular morning show at the station the next day, and he was driving into L.A. from Northern California. He tuned in to KCRW, and he heard me play the Dylan song.

When he was a guest on the morning show, he said on the air that he loved hearing Gary Calamari (sp) play “Desolation Row” last night as he was driving in. And I was ecstatic that Robyn heard me play it. So, we first bonded through the airwaves, and since then I would see him at his shows. We kept in touch and became pen pals. I had him as a guest on my radio shows several times over the years, and he’s played a showcase at my house as well.

I was working on “Who Are Gonna Be Today,” and I was happy how it was progressing. I thought, if I can get Robyn involved, it would take it over the top. He’s a busy guy, but thankfully he found time to work on it with me.

Q: Was there a concept behind the actual album title?

A: My daughter Zoe introduced me to the term “slanted rhymes,” which I was not familiar with but thought it was a cool term, and I thought my songs or “numbers” were a bit odd, so it just came to me.

Q: Discuss with me the other tunes/recordings on the album. 

A: I had the idea for “She’s So Mid-Century” and liked the idea of comparing the cool lady in the song with mid-century architecture and pop culture. I had a good start to the song but was stuck, so I reached out to a new friend at the time, trash pop rocker Palmyra Delran and rockabilly queen Kim Lenz to see if they had any lyrical ideas. I thought they had a great sensibility for the song and they came up with some great lyrics.

“The Prince Of Pico Blvd.” This one came to me when I was a DJ at KCRW. I always thought it was cool that some of the great DJs all had a cool radio name like Cousin Brucie, Wolfman Jack, The Real Don Steele. So, I wanted a cool radio nickname too, and I came up with The Prince of Pico Blvd., as that was the street that KCRW was located in Santa Monica. I never really used it on the radio show, but I got a good song out of it.

Q: You produced five soundtrack albums for Alan Ball’s HBO Series' Six Feet Under and True Blood. How was working with Alan Ball and HBO? 

A: He’s the best. Not only is he super smart and a very creative guy. He is very respectful to everyone on his crew. He loves to use a lot of music in his projects. So he keeps a music supervisor busy and is open to ideas and collaboration. It was funny. I started working with him on True Blood after working with him on Six Feet Under.

On Six Feet Under, we used some sophisticated and serious music. When I first started pitching music to him for True Blood, I started thinking in that direction, and he said, “Hey, this is a show about sexy vampires, and let’s have some fun with the music”.

Q: As a music supervisor, it seems this century, how has the role of a music supervisor for movies and television developed? Can you walk us through a typical scenario of getting the job and the various functions working with studios, directors, producers, and suggesting and coordinating licensing for film and TV?    

A: Well, where to begin. I often think that it’s harder to get the job than to actually do the job. There’s a lot of talented music supervisors in town, and we are all competing for the good jobs in film and TV.  In a nutshell, I start working when I receive the initial script and do some internal brainstorming of what style or genre might work overall as well as for each of the characters. Next, we have a spotting where we watch the rough cut with the showrunner or producer as well as the composer, writer, and editor. We go through the show and stop at all potential music spots and discuss what may be right for the scene.

After that, I go back to my music cave and try out different songs against the scene and see what is working. I report back to the showrunner with a handful of song ideas, and a favorite is picked. Then I reach out to the record label and the publisher and request the use and negotiate a fee.

Q: Is there a vast difference in working on a feature movie and a television series? 

A: Yes. It’s case by case, but there is long lead time on a movie. It may be a year or more from when you start on a project and final decisions are made, and the movie gets mixed. On a TV series, once you get started, you are generally on a schedule, and things move more quickly. But these days of miniseries and shows that take a long time between seasons, anything can happen.

Q: You now have Go Music. When did this company formally begin?

A: I named my company GO Music after we wrapped Six Feet Under, which I co-supervised with fellow music supervisor Thomas Golubic, and our company was Super Music Vision. It was a good name but too long for me. When Thomas and I went in different directions, I decided I wanted a name a bit snappier and took the name from a free music paper that I used to pick up as a kid, GO Magazine.

.The post GARY CALAMAR NEW ALBUM ODD NUMB3RS AND SLANTED RHYMES NOW OUT ON BIG STIR RECORDS first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

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How Joe Satriani Made Instrumental Guitar Music a Mainstream Attraction

New Country Music Roundtable 2026Country music means many things to many people, and it isn’t solely the stomping ground of truck drivers and rhinestone wearers. It’s a big tent that incorporates many cultures, religions, and political ideologies. Importantly, there are fresh artists looking to carry the genre forward into a new era. We spoke to a handful.

Chris Johnson

hollywoodhillbillies.us

What drew you into country music originally?

Well, it was really big in my hometown, which was an equestrian, agricultural, and farming community. The town had regular country music concerts at the local fair and rodeos, and there were several local nightclubs that featured live country bands where I would go to see musicians perform.

Who were your early influences?

I was really into all kinds of music, but mostly country, Southern rock, and blues rock. For country, my influences were Merle Haggard, George Jones, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, David Allan Coe, Johnny Paycheck, Gram Parsons, and The Byrds.

My Southern rock influences were the Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top, The Marshall Tucker Band, The Eagles, and The Black Crowes. My blues-rock influences were The Rolling Stones, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Arc Angels, George Thorogood, Buddy Guy, J.R. Wells, and Little Walter.

How do you think the genre has changed since your involvement, if at all?

Well, it has changed somewhat. It has become a big tent of musical sounds and themes. On the charts now, you have really traditional stuff, ‘90s-sounding material, along with all types of mashups and influences, with folk, pop, rock, and hip-hop overlapping.

There’s always a battle between the traditional and contemporary. Where do you sit?

I lean more toward the traditional side of storytelling, but on this record I experimented with modern production styles, hoping to reach a greater audience.

How do you describe your sound, and where does it sit on the country spectrum?

I would say this record is more traditional. However, it’s somewhat folk on the ballads and darker-themed songs, a little country-pop on the up-tempo stuff, and perhaps has a little sprinkling of Southern rock on the songs with higher-gain guitar sounds.

Tell us about your latest release.

It was recorded and produced by Nick Morzoff. It features Jordan Ziff on guitar, Federico Delfino on bass, Stephen Haaker on drums, Skip Edward on keys, Randall Hess on pedal steel, and Aubrey Richmond on fiddle and harmony vocals.

The songs were all pulled from my catalog of tunes that I had written and that we auditioned for this record.

Redd Faye

reddfaye.com

What drew you to country music, and who were your early influences?

I don’t know. By 5 or 6, I loved to sing. To anything. Dog, doll, the sky. I grew up in a place where I could sing wildly and expressively, without borders. When I visited my grandfather on his farm in Oklahoma, on later visits my signed recording artist and great-uncle Stoney Edwards would play guitar and we would all sit on the porch and sing together. That seed grew after his death. To continual lineage, which belongs to me. Dolly Parton, Crystal Gayle, the Judds and Stoney Edwards.

My love for country music began [with] the storytelling, the connection, basic emotion, a freedom to exist.

How do you think the genre has changed since your involvement, if at all?

The game has changed a lot in country music since my great-uncle Stoney and his generation. Charmingly enough, so many people still love the recognizable sounds of country, folk, Appalachian that those roots have remained.

Music is like a wire—how far can you stretch it? It can stretch and evolve, but it still has a starting point. Collaborations have come from every walk of music to country now and some of them work.

There’s always a battle between contemporary and traditional country music. Where do you stand?

I suppose from the outside looking in, it can look like a battle. But from the inside looking out, I see banjos the steel guitar, drums, fiddles notes, and expression.

Yes, some of it is very different, but it all comes from an organic place. Finding the two that actually work together—that’s where something spectacular happens. It’s inevitable, to fit some of that in, but you’ve got to know when and when not to.

How do you describe your sound, and where does it sit in the country spectrum?

When I put my phone to someone’s ear or my mouth close to the microphone to sing, I expect to hear something warm, I recognize—something traditional—but I also expect to hear something surprisingly intelligible. Roughness versus softness. Desperation versus subtlety, anger versus love. Telling the story. Giving life to those origin expressions that come from us all. Like yodeling.

I don’t think music has to have boundaries, but the emotion and essence of what makes my voice my voice must be there. I think it’s important to have foundation in traditional country, but from there, it’s completely natural to take a fork in the road.

What inspired your next release?

I’m ecstatic to answer this because my next release is called “Yippee Ki Yay Mothertrucker.”

It’s about empowering us women and celebrating the unsung heroes I’ve met out on the road.

They’re great people, dedicated men and women with big hearts who just want to get the job done.

It’s truly about women truck drivers, but it’s also about the trucking industry as a whole. This industry has kept America moving for many years, as it will for many years to come. I’m proud to say it’s kind of a truckers’ anthem!

What’s next for you?

I’ve been putting my band together so we can begin our USA tour, and hopefully, in the coming months, take it overseas. I’m excited putting the name Redd Faye really out there and letting people commune with what we’re creating. Everything I’m doing is to connect and flow.

Jesse Lynn Madera

instagram.com/jesselynnmadera

What drew you into country music, originally? 

Love this question. I write songs that seem to fall into a few different genres, but country is pretty much always somewhere in there. My sensibilities as a songwriter come from growing up on country music. Willie, Kris, Dolly… they were gods. I was born In Parkersburg, West Virginia, and my grandparents were self-described hillbillies. Country music was always on the radio. Grandma sort of sounded like Kitty Wells when she sang around the house and Grandpa taught himself how to play banjo. I think I was just born with it in my ears. 

How do you think the genre has changed since your involvement, if at all?

Well, it has changed a lot, and I know that’s a sensitive topic. Modern day country, on pop country radio, does sound a lot different from what I grew up on. And it’s not to say that the songs themselves aren’t good. I think those hitmakers still crank out some well-crafted songs. The '90s were a glorious time in country music, and I miss those kinds of songs, that kind of production, that kind of musicianship. On the other hand, we have never had so many incredible singers all at once! I just guess that the demand may have changed or something. I’m not sure. But I don’t consider myself a true country artist anyway, so maybe I should just keep quiet!

There’s always a battle between the traditional and contemporary. Where do you sit?

Team traditional, I’m sentimental. 

How do you describe your sound, and where it sits on the country spectrum?

I am an artist like a painter is an artist and I see what I do as creating collections. I’m indie so I have some freedom to just write and sing what comes naturally. We moved around a lot when I was young so I picked up a lot of different sounds. Country music tends to show up somehow, somewhere in most of my songs but I don’t know that I’d be officially classified as a country artist. Some of my songs, like ‘Austin’ or ‘Sweet Pretender’ or ‘That House’ fit neatly on the spectrum. I’d say they’re more '90s country with some southern rock. There’s a Hammond on Austin for instance, which probably immediately gets it kicked out of the Country Club. 

Tell us about your latest release...

My latest single is called ‘Woke Up In L.A.’ and it’s my version of country. There’s a lot of Dolly influence I can hear, there’s an Appalachian feel to the melody. I wrote it several years ago about moving from New York to L.A. and fantasizing about Montana. I love so many places and am an escapist. I’d left my band in N.Y.C. and moved to L.A. for love. It was scary to leave the momentum I’d achieved for a place where I hardly knew anyone and to start over from scratch. I was scared. I was not fun to live with and I take responsibility for my own discontentment. I learned from that time of life and I don’t regret the move at all. 

What do you have planned for the coming months?

I’m about to go on tour with Amy Speace in October, play festivals in winter, more shows in the early spring, and then I’m heading out late spring with Colin Blunstone to tour in the Netherlands. I’m also finishing writing songs for my next album and will be recording those soon. Looking forward to all of it!

Hailey Benedict

haileybenedictmusic.com

What drew you into country music, originally?

From an early age, I remember twirling in my living room with my mom to artists like The Chicks, Dolly Parton, Shania Twain, and Martina McBride. A couple of years later, I was gifted a CD and discovered my love for Taylor Swift. I was immediately enthralled by her picturesque storytelling and the sheer relatability of her music. Looking back, it’s funny because I never even realized the music I was listening to was “country” at the time. To me, it was always just great, relatable music that made me feel something. One thing I always admired about my parents is that they listened to all types of music without ever putting it in a specific box or genre. Although they weren’t musical themselves, we had music of all kinds playing around the house. When I started writing songs at age nine, much of what I grew up listening to naturally infused itself into my sound. As I developed, it became very apparent that storytelling, the true core of country music, was always the North Star of my writing and became the true home for my music.

How do you think the genre has changed since your start, if at all?  

I think the genre itself has embraced a crossover spirit over time, and it has been so exciting to watch it grow. Country music has so many different influences nowadays, and with so many diverse voices, its landscape has become incredibly rich and special. There is a reason it is one of the biggest genres today, and I believe that’s due to its ability to embrace so many subgenres. But the really special part is that no matter where it explores musically, country storytelling always lies at the center.

There’s always a battle between the traditional and contemporary. Where do you sit? 

I would definitely say contemporary, but it often depends on the song. Part of the joy of being a songwriter is that sometimes a song naturally writes itself, and almost in a kismet kind of way, it chooses its own style. Those writing moments can exist separately from my specific artist brand, letting the song dictate whether it leans more traditional or modern.

How do you describe your sound, and where it sits on the country spectrum? 

I’d describe my sound as a true country-pop mix. The heart of it is always in the lyrics, and like any good country song, my favorite challenge is nailing the “hook” or the “flip.” Musically, I love to experiment and infuse whatever I’m currently listening to into my own songs, regardless of the genre. I like to think of musical genres like a really good painting: you can paint a beautiful picture using just the color red, but there are so many other colors on the palette. Adding those different shades makes the art more vibrant, dynamic, and full of depth, so why not use all the colors available to you? I feel the same way about creating music and trying not to let anything keep me in a box.

Tell us about your latest release... 

“Chem History” is my newest single, and it captures that country-pop fusion I was describing earlier. Sonically, it features staple country instrumentation like steel guitar, banjo, and shimmery acoustics, but we also layered in luscious vocal stacks, unique synths, and pop-leaning melodies. The song actually started as a hook I had saved in my phone. It’s not just a play on words, but a clever, tongue-in-cheek way to describe that one relationship that always has a funny way of reappearing in your life. It tackles that age-old question: could it be fate, or is it just a bad habit? I had so much fun co-writing this one with my incredibly talented friends and co-writers, Claire Douglas and Clara Park!

What do you have planned for the coming months? 

It’s been such an exciting year getting to release the music I’ve been working on for the last couple of years. I’m incredibly grateful for my team at Big Loud and how much they’ve encouraged me to write and push myself to constantly beat my own catalogue. On top of having new music out, I’m continuing to write and work toward my debut album. I’ve been collaborating with Josh Kerr (Keith Urban, Maddie & Tae, Thomas Rhett) on producing, and it has been so inspiring to watch his process and learn alongside him. Beyond the studio, I absolutely can’t wait to get back out on tour and connect with fans everywhere!

Timmy McKeever

timmymckeever.com

What drew you into country music, originally? 

For as long as I can remember it’s always been country music playing around the house and in the car. It was always legends like Eric Church, Jason Aldean, Toby Keith… guys who influenced me as well as many other artists. Growing up on the West Coast, people think it’s strange that I fell into country music but because that’s all that we listened to, it felt right.

How do you think the genre has changed since your start, if at all?

I think it’s definitely widened as far as what can classify as a “country” song. I believe streaming has had a huge impact on the genre as a whole because artists are now being influenced by whatever kind of music they want to listen to. I think some artists have been influential in the sonic trends of the mainstream genre, and that goes back to the roots of it. There have always been trailblazers like Hank Jr. and other legends that redefined the genre, but I think the interesting thing about country music today is not the mainstream trend but all the different subgenres that fall beneath it. I think this aspect of it will only continue to grow as country music expands its global reach.

There’s always a battle between the traditional and contemporary. Where do you sit?

Full transparency I pull from so many different influences that I think my music has flavors of both. I listen to classic country just as much as I do contemporary. But I also listen to rock & roll, pop punk, rap, and many other genres, and I think all of it comes to light in its own unique way with the different melodic, lyrical, and production decisions I make.

How do you describe your sound, and where it sits on the country spectrum?

I describe my sound as rock-leaning country with pop elements. At the end of the day, I make music that feels authentically cool, and music that feels like me. I’m just grateful that my music has been able to reach an audience that connects with my sound like I do.

Tell us about your latest release…

My latest release is a track called “Drove Her Away.” It’s a feel-good take on a breakup situation about taking accountability for the relationship ending. It lives up to its name and is a great song to bump with your windows down on a backroad, on a boat, or anywhere in between. I love the track so much and I hope the fans love it as much as I do!

What do you have planned for the coming months?

Our next release is one of my favorite songs I have ever written, and I absolutely cannot wait to get it out. Aside from that I’m grateful to be able to spend some time in Nashville as touring for the year winds down and pull back the slingshot as we head into next year. Right now, I’m in the works with what is in my opinion the best music I’ve ever created.The post New Country Music Roundtable 2026 first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Latin America is catching North America as Spotify’s second-biggest subscriber market – and over 1 in 10 people there now pay for it.Spotify's Q3 2026 shareholder deck shows that Latin America accounted for 24% of the company's 306 million Premium subscribers at the end of September.
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10 Great Jazz Albums That Were Completely Ignored When They Came OutThink you know the great jazz albums? Beyond the classics lie 10 overlooked gems worth discovering, from Pharoah Sanders’ Karma to hidden treasures of jazz fusion, funk, and spiritual jazz.

A Song (or two) That Changed My Life: SNACKTIME on  Prince and D’AngeloThe Band Members: Nico Bryant, vocals; Sam Gellerstein, bass, tuba, guitar, sousaphone; Austin Marlow, drums; Larry Monroe Jr., guitar; Eric Sherman, trumpet, percussion; Michael Spearman, keys, trombone; Ben Stocker, tenor saxophoneThe Songs:  Prince’s smoldering power ballad “The Beautiful Ones” from his semi-autobiographical film Purple Rain – a must-see for all who love music —stands as a stellar example of how stark, spacey sonics can coexist with a rich rush of lush harmonics and searing vocal voracity to create a song stoked by all-consuming desire. With his signature attention to detail, Prince crafted a warm, pillowy low end through direct-to-board tracking — a perfect palette for The Purple One to lay his soaring, seductive falsetto, which slides and glides alongside slinky synth vibes before erupting into a killer high-register rock star scream. While the virtuoso’s vast vault of meticulously arranged songs is filled with examples of his genius, it is the fine-tuned emotive maximalism of "The Beautiful Ones” that showcases his role as an artistic visionary and places the multi-instrumentalist maestro of all things musical in the highest of echelons in music history.In a similar lane of late-night intimacy, though one that moves along in its own way with an intoxicating, ambient slow-rolling sway, comes the hypnotic pull of D’Angelo’s “One Mo’ Gin” from his seminal 2000 masterpiece Voodoo. Its thick, velvety arrangements and seductive yearnings are seamlessly smoothed together with the smoldering melodic haze of the Soulquarians— the loose collective with D’Angelo, Questlove, J Dilla, and James Poyser at its core. This legendary collaboration of musicians, who set up creative headquarters in the sonic house that Jimi Hendrix built, Electric Lady Studios, cultivated a love for rhythmic sickness and a sacred devotion to the groove that became central to D’Angelo’s magnetic musicality.The Background: Popping up throughout the City of Brotherly Love during the height of the pandemic, SNACKTIME quickly built a devoted following with their fusion of Philly soul, funk, and the untamed spirit of punk that soon stretched beyond the city's limits.Within a few years, the powerhouse seven-piece went from impromptu outdoor performances in open-air spaces like Rittenhouse Square to showstopping appearances at festivals including Lollapalooza and the Newport Folk Festival, while also sharing bills with artists such as Mt. Joy, Portugal. The Man, and Fitz and The Tantrums.Their debut studio EP, THIS IS DANCE MUSIC, produced by Philadelphia-based Grammy-winning alt-rock alchemist Will Yip (Turnstile, Code Orange), further expanded the polyphonic band’s reach, leading to crossover opportunities including a run as the in-studio band for They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce.

With the release of their single “Can’t Imagine Why You’d Stay,” a debut full-length studio album on the horizon, and a tour supporting Devon Gilfillian, band members Sam Gellerstein and Nico Bryant find themselves revisiting two songs that are imprinted in their memory and have made a lasting mark on their songwriting: Prince's "The Beautiful Ones" and D'Angelo's "One Mo' Gin." The Stories: Prior to exploring the treasure trove of Prince's sprawling canon, Sam Gellerstein’s connection to The Purple One’s work was sporadic. That changed following the icon’s passing in 2016, which prompted a deep dive into the artist’s legendary catalog and his timeless funk-rock cinematic drama.“I did not grow up on Prince, so when he passed, I started to listen and then became obsessed with his history, live performances, and albums,” explains Gellerstein. “I first heard ‘The Beautiful Ones’ right after Prince’s death while watching the movie Purple Rain. As with most songs I enjoy, I listened to the textures and the soundscape and found it to be very interesting — sexy but pensive, almost brooding but also optimistic. When the song opens up after the build and explodes is one of the most powerful moments on the record.”With repeated listens, however, the song gradually revealed an emotional flow that kept his mind circling:“I found the song to have more of a sadness to it. Less of a confident ask and more of a pleading. A deeper, more sorrowful pleading than the trope of ‘begging on my knees.’ As electric and larger than life as he was, I’m sure he was in a lot more pain and loneliness than his character let on.”

This combination of heart-wrenching lyrics intermingled with Prince’s sleek sonics and immaculate ear essentially altered Gellerstein's  songwriting:“The way the orchestration and arrangement builds slowly until it swells and explodes in the middle, leading to the long, passionate outro shows the importance of how a simple phrase can carry a song. Just that line: ‘Cause I want you…’” Gellerstein explains, noting that the impact was enough to incorporate a bit of it within SNACKTIME’s super slick funk meets soul style. “We have a song coming out on our debut record called ‘Cold/Warm’ which is directly influenced by this exact structure.”This penchant for midnight musings is also heard as a musical throughline for vocalist Nico Bryant, albeit channeled through a different kind of sultry, laconic, and slightly behind-the-beat delivery. It hit with full force when a bout of tender heartbreak flipped the script on how he initially heard the song.

“The first time I heard ‘One Mo’ Gin’ by D’Angelo, I was in the ninth grade,” Nico says. “My initial response was literally, ‘...this is a long ass intro.’ I just wasn’t ready to digest it, or the rest of the Voodoo record for that matter. It was just a bit too deep for my fourteen-year-old self to wrap my mind around at the time.”

What did stay with him, however, was the harmony:“There was also this familiar feeling of going to church with my older relatives — how those hymns moved slow as molasses and had a very specific, weighted sound to them. But I was moving too fast at the time to receive it all. I was more concerned with moonwalking and such.”That breakbeat energy ground down to a halt when heartbreak finally caught up to Bryant, shifting his relationship with the song from a steadfast backdrop to a longing lifeline:“Three months after a breakup — that I felt was imminent, but I didn’t want to happen — I swore we were gonna be high school sweethearts. When the separation came, I spent a good amount of time trying to get back together, or at least in the same room, to no avail. Then, after a long conversation, that young lady and I officially went no-contact.I am an emotional being with a tender heart, and I take things hard, so this took its toll on me.”Isolated in that silence, he heard D’Angelo call:

“One night, I felt as though I was faced with a choice: either press the ‘game over’ button or listen to this song on repeat until I fell asleep. I chose the latter and cried my eyes out as D’Angelo spoke to his muse in hopes of seeing her again and potentially reuniting. And it all clicked not just musically but emotionally. His yearning to catch up on lost time with his long-lost lover felt eerily similar to my own desire to see my old flame again. There was a vulnerability that he exuded naturally. All of this felt like a warm hug and good conversation from a big cousin telling me he knows what I’ve been through.

“From that day forth, my ears and heart became open to the rest of the Voodoo album. I then embarked on a long journey to find out everything about D’s life story, musical creations, and everything in between.More than anything, even if I didn’t realize it then, I wanted to create art that made me feel like I did that night. Something so soulful, meaningful, raw, and honest that it may have saved and/or changed a life; even if the topic may be deemed simple by some.”

As Bryant’s obsession deepened, he shifted his focus toward sound construction and composition:“Musically, this whole album was the final piece of my harmony training. I’ve been obsessed with 3- and 4-part harmonies since I was younger, with Commissioned, Boyz II Men, and Jodeci being the biggest influences on my stylings. But once I heard D’Angelo, everything I knew about harmony shifted and adjusted. It was so churchy yet hip with jazz flairs. As if Prince was stoned like Sly. He has such an understanding of the vast universe of music, and although my dreams of being his apprentice never came true, I still was able to learn so much from him over the years.”

Additionally, Bryant connected with D’Angelo’s art of soul parlando, that rare ability to melt lyrical melody into speech:“What I’ve picked up about this song is everything feels warm and lived in. There’s a certain cohesion in all that’s happening. Nothing feels out of place or sticks out in a way that’s jarring. Lyrically, his language is pure, lucid, and straightforward. Like he knew exactly what he wanted to say to this woman and didn’t add any sort of fluff, and there are certain phrasings that only he could construct. It feels like he sings how he talks…“...and the musical bed itself complements it perfectly — uncluttered and smooth,” says Bryant, adding that the production perfectly captures that intimate, ultra-smooth sound. “The way the track was mixed makes you feel like you’re in the room (shoutout to Russ ‘The Dragon’ Elevado). So much so, I can surmise that there have been plenty of women on the receiving end of their listening systems of choice, imagining themselves to be D’s muse.”

More than anything, immersing himself in the track reinforced a creative lesson Bryant would later carry into his own music: sparsity is often the best sonic space:“I’ve realized that it doesn’t always take a whole lot. Sometimes it’s the simplicity of it all that helps a song breathe and live. If there were a lot happening, this song wouldn’t have the same impact. The focus is on the vocals and the lyrics, and the players provide the necessary vessel for the track to be delivered. So, while it took me a minute to get to that place of discipline musically, I feel now I know when a song is getting too cluttered, and the heart of it is getting lost in the sonic sauce.”

These late-night sensual soundscapes didn't remain trapped in his head as mere influences. Much like Gellerstein drew from Prince’s burning-with-desire, seductive sonic drama, Bryant routed D'Angelo's sultry, midnight-hued desires of longing into SNACKTIME's forthcoming debut record.“There’s one song on the upcoming SNACKTIME album called “Find Her Lovin’ Again.” It’s cut from the same raw emotional cloth of longing and lovelessness, although our delivery is more rooted in a bit of a rock-soul sound. I wanted to exude that same sort of energy of singing how I spoke, saying exactly what I felt in a way that cuts through every possible barrier.”

One More Thought: Gellerstein on Prince’s Musicality

“Something so magical about this song is the restraint it shows in its orchestration and composition while still feeling huge and expansive. The delay thrown on the Linn drums gives such a nice bed for the Oberheims to sit on top of, adding a bit more with every section while slowly building towards that huge, impassioned moment for Prince to ask the question: ‘Do you want me? ‘Cause I want you.’ All capped off with some classic, powerful Prince guitar soloing [most recognized on the full album version].

“Another huge reason this song is so special is that, while Prince typically comes from a place of supreme confidence and assuredness when it comes to sex and love, this track seems bare, unsure, and anxious—a feeling I think most of us normal people on earth have felt and can deeply empathize with.

“Purple Rain is obviously the quintessential Prince record, but to me, this is the definitive power ballad of that album.”

Photo Credit:  Anthony MulcahyThe post A Song (or two) That Changed My Life: SNACKTIME on  Prince and D’Angelo first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Universal Music Group signs Thai artist Jeff Satur, aiming to make him ‘T-Pop’s first global superstar’The signing is the latest step in UMG's expansion in Thailand.
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Phil Collins Top 10 Favorite Albums of All-TimeWhat shaped Phil Collins' musical taste beyond Genesis? From The Beatles' timeless pop to the grooves of Earth, Wind & Fire and the energy of jazz fusion, discover 10 albums that reveal his diverse musical journey.

JO1 Ends North American Tour with an Electrifying LA Show Japanese group JO1 brought electrifying energy to Los Angeles for the final night of their North American tour on Oct. 11. The nine-member group—Issei Mamehara, Ren Kawashiri, Takumi Kawanishi, Ruki Shiroiwa, Keigo Sato, Syoya Kimata, Junki Kono, Sukai Kinjo, and Sho Yonashiro—showcased their music with razor-sharp choreography and undeniable chemistry.
The show opened on a high note with the exhilarating “WHATCHA DOIN,” a perfect song to get the crowd’s energy pumping. JO1’s stage presence was magnetic, and the members knew how to rile up the audience with playful banter in Japanese. The group chose not to use an English translator during these conversations. Without interruptions, the banter flowed naturally, though many English-speaking fans couldn’t fully follow along. The JAMs didn’t seem to mind, cheering and laughing along whenever the members spoke.
JO1’s dynamic choreography elevated each performance, especially “Handz in my Pocket” and “Animal.” Singing and dancing all night is no easy feat, but the group made it look effortless. It was hard to believe this was their U.S. debut.

The group also showed off its vocal talent by slowing things down for a stripped-down performance of “Hiraku” with Junki on keyboard. The intimate moment highlighted the strength of their vocals. To keep fans on their toes, the members then split into units. Takumi kicked off the segment with a solo rap performance, followed by a dance break featuring Ren, Keigo, Sukai, and Issei. The segment closed with Syoya, Junki, Ruki, and Sho covering Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” The mega-popular song had the whole audience singing along.
The night ended with the adrenaline-pumping “IGNITE.” Its rock sound, driven by guitar and drums, had the entire venue rocking out.
The post JO1 Ends North American Tour with an Electrifying LA Show first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

ONErpm names Iasmine Amazonas Chief Marketing Officer as it restructures 200-person global marketing teamIsaac Miranda has also been named Global Marketing Director
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Tupac Shakur's 5 Favorite Albums of the '90sDiscover five surprising albums Tupac Shakur reportedly loved, from Prince and Jamiroquai to Sarah McLachlan and Counting Crows.

‘I HAVE A NEW OUTLOOK NOW: IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE FUN; IT’S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE SCARY’Music school dropout Sasha Alex Sloan has already co-written hits with three of the biggest (and most influential) pop stars of the last few years – Camila Cabello, Charli XCX, and Olivia Rodrigo. And she’s only just getting started…
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Miley Aces Bass Persuades in HollywoodThere was a moment that occurred approximately two-thirds of the way into Miley Cyrus (now simply going by Miley)'s first of two nights at the Hollywood Bowl, where all of the pop polish fell away and we saw the very real personality beneath it. This came, by the way, after Miley had already performed a beautifully touching tribute to her godmother—the late, great Dolly Parton—with a rendition of "Jolene" that prompted tears from the artist, and some in the crowd.

The moment we're referring to came just after Miley had made her way back to the stage, through a well-meaning and adoring crowd that was reaching out, en masse, for some sort of contact. She had popped up in the middle of said crowd to perform a couple of songs with Flaming Lips man Wayne Coyne, and she sang "We Can't Stop" while returning to the big stage. When the song was over, Miley needed a minute to take a breath and get her bearings. With no front, no swag, Miley told the crowd that the experience was an overwhelming one for her. This was Miley's big comeback, and when emotions started to build up in an intense way, the artist felt comfortable enough to be utterly vulnerable. With her mom at the side of the stage ready to help if needed, Miley confided in a sea of people, most of whom she doesn't know personally. In return, her trust was rewarded with a wave of love. It was life-affirming, and just one special moment at a show that had many.

Miley's latest album, Bass Persuades, has been out for a month, and it's a decidedly mature piece of work. Dark and pulsating, there are elements on this album that would delight Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails fans (if they allowed themselves to like it). It's a record that gets under your skin, and she performed six of those tracks at the Hollywood Bowl. Notably, opening band Model/Actriz returned to the stage to perform a sensual "Different Religion," a song that uses religious themes to explore relationships.

Miley's fiancé Maxx Morando (Liily, formerly The Regrettes) played drums on a very sweet "Let's Get Married," as he did on the album. Nothing felt forced and false about their public displays of affection; cynicism lost and love won.

Miley with Wayne Coyne

Miley with Model/Actriz

The Wayne Coyne songs, from the b-stage in the center of the crowd, were stunning. The Flaming Lips classic "Do You Realize?" felt like a truly spiritual experience, while "Karen Don't Be Sad," from the underrated Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Pets album, showcased her not-so-hidden love for rock 'n' roll. Incidentally, the last time this writer saw Miley live, she was performing at the Chris Cornell tribute concert and converting thousands of naysayers. By now, her cred from those quarters should be a given.

And hey, if you wanted pop hits, you got those too. The rejigged version of power ballad "Wrecking Ball" performed at the Bowl was different to the one generally heard on the radio, but it was equally powerful, and utterly immersive. Miley went back to her 2009 The Time of Our Lives EP to enjoy a bit of her bubblegum pop past with "Party in the U.S.A.," and in this environment it felt like an utterly joyful moment of mutual love between the artist and a crowd that has stuck with her for years.

There wasn't much in the way of a show, a production, at the Bowl but that wasn't the point. This was an honest, open and authentic Miley allowing herself to be her true self and trusting her people. They didn't let her down.

Photo credit: Kevin Mazur / Getty Images.

The post Miley Aces Bass Persuades in Hollywood first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Lenny White's 10 Favorite Albums of All TimeEver wondered which albums inspired jazz-fusion drummer Lenny White? Check out his 10 favorites, from Miles Davis and Jimi Hendrix to Santana and Steely Dan.