SongWriter

Bestselling author and MacArthur genius George Saunders reads the second half of his story, "Tenth of December." George and Grammy Award-winning songwriter and fiddle player Amanda Shires (of The Highwomen) discuss art, suffering, and love over a lifetime. Amanda talks about the process of writing a song in response to the story, and shares a studio recording of "You Don't Get to Go."This is part 2 of the story. For the first half you can listen to part 1 (episode 8). The song Amanda wrote for this song, "You Don't Get to Go" is available everywhere music streams, as is the song Ben wrote, "If You Need Me." https://SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast

Bestselling author Polly Samson reads an excerpt from her novel, A Theater for Dreamers, about a young woman's time on the Greek island of Hydra in the 1960s. Polly and her husband David Gilmour, of the band Pink Floyd, discuss their long collaborative relationship, and describe writing the song "Yes, I Have Ghosts" in response to a passage in the book.  David also talks about the process of finding inspiration for new music he wrote for the audiobook, and about collaborating with his daughter Romany Gilmour on the recording.https://SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast 

Lucia Berlin died years before her collection "A Manual for Cleaning Women" became an international bestseller. Berlin's friend and former student Elizabeth Geoghegan talks about her life, and reads her story, "Mama," and songwriter Rebecca Rego shares a studio recording of a song written in response.https://SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast

Author Nicholson Baker reads an excerpt of The Anthologist, and songwriter Rod Picott performs a song written in response called "Losing Faith." The two friends also discuss cross-arts explorations, self-doubt, and the importance of a good sandwich.https://SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast

Bestselling author Sarah Hepola reads an excerpt from her memoir "Blackout," and songwriter Matt the Electrician shares his own experiences with blackouts and studio recordings of TWO songs that he wrote in response.https://SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast

Author and veteran Odie Lindsey reads an excerpt from his novel, "Some Go Home." Odie's friend, Grammy Award-winning songwriter Mary Gauthier, talks about how she came to know him, and shares a studio recording of her song, "Then Go Home," written in response.https://SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast

Bestselling author Roxane Gay reads a piece called "Getting to Know You, Getting to Know All About You," about love in the pandemic, and making a home with her wife, Debbie Milman. Songwriter and actor Celisse Henderson talks about writing her song, and about properly understanding the work of rock pioneer Sister Rosetta Tharp. Songwriter, composer, and producer Toshi Reagon speaks about how she constructed her song, "You Belong," to echo the structure of Gay's piece, and about the connections between Tharp and pioneering writer Octavia Butler, whose novel, Parable of the Sower, Reagon made into an opera. This episode was recorded during a live performance co-produced with Harlem School of the Arts.https://SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast

Bestselling author Cheryl Strayed reads a very personal letter about her mother from her celebrated advice column "Dear Sugar," and songwriter Maia Sharp talks about a recent break-up and shares  a studio recording of her song "It's Always Good to See You."https://SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast

Season three of SongWriter will feature stories from George Saunders, Cheryl Strayed, Roxane Gay, and Joyce Carol Oates, and brand new songs from Amanda Shires, Tift Merritt, Celisse Henderson, and Mary Gauthier.

Actor, comedian, and bestselling author Michael Ian Black tells a true story about youth, privilege, and stealing, and songwriter Victoria Jones speaks on religious faith and on owning our mistakes.https://SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast