SongWriter

Environmental activist and cellist Ben Sollee tells a story about learning that his family sold their ancestral land to a coal company. Songwriter and rapper James Lindsey reflects on fatherhood, and shares a studio recording of his song “Hoop Sessions.”https://SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast 

Bestselling author Joyce Carol Oates reads a haunting story, and banjo legend Tony Trischka and songwriter Jennifer Marks each play songs written in response. The show was recorded at a live performance in New York City, with Grammy-nominated musician Tracy Bonham performing with Tony Trischka, and comedy legend Steve Martin in the audience.https://SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast 

Author Alison Gaylin reads an excerpt from "Never Look Back," a novel based loosely on the Starkweather murders. Gaylin discusses how Caril Ann Fugate was understood at the time to be a willing accomplice (she is portrayed that way in Springsteen's "Nebraska" and "Natural Born Killers," which were also based on the notorious murder spree), but points out that Fugate was just 14 years-old when she was kidnapped and raped by Starkweather.Songwriter Colin McGrath discusses the book, and how hard it can be to tell his young daughter the sometimes-awful truth. He plays "Dear Aurora Grace," his musical response to Gaylin's book.https://SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast

Lauren Morrill, who writes young adult fiction, tells a true story about adolescent infatuation and the humiliations it can cause. Acoustic guitarist Justin Cutway performs a song that he says was NOT easy to write, and rapper Vinson Muhammad performs a spoken word piece inspired by both Lauren and Lil' Wayne.https://SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast

Poet Mike Veve reads a ghost story on themes of homelessness at a live performance in New York City, and Johnny Leitera of the band Tuff Sunshine talks about writing with an assist from technology, and performs “Middle Man.”https://SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast 

Poet and author Lou Barrett tells a story about falling in love with their high school best friend, and about coming to grips with their sexual identity. Songwriter Michelle Gaw speaks about friendship and sexuality, and performs her song “What Makes a Friend” live at a house concert in Cleveland, Ohio.https://SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast

Playwright and songwriter Ethan Lipton reads a fictional speech at a live performance in New York City, and Texan songwriter Sarah Jaffe plays a song she wrote in response.https://SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast 

Poet Amy Turn Sharp reads a piece inspired by the death of her mother. In it she describes how she began leaving her baby teeth, one by one, in places that have emotional resonance in her life. Songwriter Parker Paul, who is an old friend of Amy’s, performs his song “Baby Teeth,” at a live performance in Columbus, Ohio.https://SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast

Author Louisa Young reads from her memoir You Left Early, about love and alcoholism, and discusses how insidious the disease is for its victims, and for the people that love them. Pianist and songwriter Miranda Joy performs “Carry You Around,” live in the clock tower of St. Pancras Station in London.https://SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast

Writer and NYT editor Dodai Stewart tells a story about destiny, choice, and tarot cards that she wrote specially for SongWriter, and slide guitarist Natalia Zukerman performs her song “Storm Cloud Rising,” and talks about her own recent tangles with fate.https://SongWriterPodcast.com/StewartTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast