Podcast 456: Scott Ballew

Scott Ballew is an Austin, Texas-based filmmaker and musician. For years, he's directed unforgettable videos and documentaries for Yeti and others. In 2020, he decided to take up songwriting and recorded his first album just a year later.

This week, Ballew releases his third album, Rio Bravo. It's an exceptional work that somehow combines Ballew's affinity for Townes Van Zandt and other Austin legends with his love for reverb-drenched Ennio Morricone soundtracks. We love it.

During our chat, Scott tells us about his unlikely journey from football star to director to songwriter and about how filmmaking has shaped his music output. We also talk about the making of Rio Bravo, Scott's growing guitar collection, the time he spent with Townes Van Zandt's Gibson, and how – thanks to Pearl Jam – he ended up playing football for the University of Washington.

Scott's site: https://www.leisurerodeo.com

Recommended viewing:

Can You Hear Me Smiling: A short doc on Scott Ballew's songwriting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEkWxtLjD-4&t=1s

My Old Man | No. 4 - Anchor Point: Scott's Yeti doc featuring JT Van Zandt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KadKx5k6XoY

Leisure Rodeo: A Short Film by Scott Ballew

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65vd-PjEBnY&t=2s

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal print edition and reserve your copy of Fretboard Journal 54: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/products/fretboard-journal-annual-subscription Register for our 2024 Fretboard Summit in Chicago (Aug 23-25): https://fretboardsummit.org/ This week's show is sponsored by: StewMac: https://stewmac.sjv.io/R5jvRR (Affiliate link) Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar: https://mmguitarbar.com Izotope: https://www.izotope.com (Use the code FRET10 to save 10%) Stringjoy Strings: https://stringjoy.com (Use the code FRETBOARD to save 10% off your first order) Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com (Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout). Love the podcast and want to support it? We have a new Patreon page just for Fretboard Journal fans and loaded with bonus content. https://www.patreon.com/Fretboard_Journal