Meet Jonathan Stout, a Southern California-based jazz guitarist best known as a bandleader in the swing dance world. Jonathan's story is unlike any we've ever heard: Here's someone who cites Kirk Hammett as an influence, along with Benny Goodman guitarist Allan Reuss. He's a player, a scholar of early jazz guitar, a drummer, and he can even get you out of a traffic ticket (yep, he's also a lawyer).  During our chat, we talk about the unique music requirements of modern-day swing dances, we hear about Jonathan's favorite vintage guitars, and learn why he's so obsessed with Reuss. Plus a lot more...    This is one of our favorite interviews to date and we think you'll love it. https://www.campusfive.com/ Listen to Jonathan Stout's solo album, 'Pick It and Play It': https://jonathanstout.bandcamp.com/album/pick-it-and-play-it Watch Jonathan play at the Fretboard Journal: https://youtu.be/PPqJtVVT9I8 Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal and start with our new, 52nd issue: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/products/fretboard-journal-annual-subscription Register for the Fretboard Summit (August 24-26, 2023 at Chicago's legendary Old Town School of Folk Music): https://fretboardsummit.org Our podcast is sponsored by Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar, Deering Banjos; Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); and Stringjoy Strings (get 10% off your order with the FRETBOARD discount code). This episode is also sponsored by iZotope. Use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope order.

Saltwater Hank is a Ts’msyen musician based in Prince Rupert, British Columbia. On Canada Day, 2023, he released his new and boldest album to date, 'G​̱​al'u​̈​u​̈​nx Wil Lu Holtga Liimi.' It’s an entire country album sung in Sm'algyax, the Ts’msyen language. On this week’s FJ Podcast, we talk to Saltwater Hank about the project, its release day (and why that’s important), his songwriting process, the power of language, the gear he used and so much more. It's a great chat. https://saltwaterhank.bandcamp.com/album/g-alu-u-nx-wil-lu-holtga-liimi Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal and start with our new, 52nd issue: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/products/fretboard-journal-annual-subscription Register for the Fretboard Summit (August 24-26, 2023 at Chicago's legendary Old Town School of Folk Music): https://fretboardsummit.org Our podcast is sponsored by Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar, Deering Banjos; Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); and Stringjoy Strings (get 10% off your order with the FRETBOARD discount code). This episode is also supported by Native Instruments, iZotope, and Plugin Alliance. Check out their Summer of Sound, the best-ever savings on ALL software, with 50% off products, updates, and upgrades, plus special hardware and software bundle deals. 

You've never heard a tale like that of guitarist Rick Deitrick. A product of the '60s, Rick went from playing the accordion as a kid in Ohio to joining a rock band and performing at love-ins throughout Southern California. Once he found a $100 Yamaha acoustic at a pawn shop, his life took a new turn: He'd take his guitar (sans case) out on hikes and create acoustic instrumentals influenced by his surroundings. The byproduct of these hikes was a series of self-released albums, now reissued as a boxed set by Tompkins Square Records. Quirky backstory aside, it's gorgeous music that has stood the test of time.  This interview has it all: 1960s love-ins, a cranky John Fahey, a two-foot-tall chipmunk, a guitar sacrificed in a fit of rage, and a musician who continues to march to the beat of his own drummer. Learn more about Rick Deitrick's 'The Unguitarist: Complete Works, 1969-2022' here:  https://tompkinssquare.bandcamp.com/album/the-unguitarist-complete-works-1969-2022 Follow Jason's new Substack here for behind-the-scenes FJ content: https://substack.com/@fretboardjournal Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal and start with our new, 52nd issue: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/products/fretboard-journal-annual-subscription Register for the Fretboard Summit (August 24-26, 2023 at Chicago's legendary Old Town School of Folk Music): https://fretboardsummit.org Our podcast is sponsored by Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar, Deering Banjos; Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); and Stringjoy Strings (get 10% off your order with the FRETBOARD discount code). This episode is also supported by Native Instruments, iZotope, and Plugin Alliance. Check out their Summer of Sound, the best-ever savings on ALL software, with 50% off products, updates, and upgrades, plus special hardware and software bundle deals. 

Banjo great Alison Brown joins us on this week’s podcast to talk about her new album, On Banjo, and so much more. We chat about how she discovered bluegrass music while growing up in Southern California, her lifelong friendship with Stuart Duncan, the challenges of running a record label in 2023 (Alison and her husband run Compass Records), teaching, increasing the number of female banjo players, and a lot more. It’s a great chat. https://alisonbrown.bandcamp.com/album/on-banjo Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal and start with our new, 52nd issue: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/products/fretboard-journal-annual-subscription Register for the Fretboard Summit (August 24-26, 2023 at Chicago's legendary Old Town School of Folk Music): https://fretboardsummit.org Our podcast is sponsored by Deering Banjos; Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); and Stringjoy Strings(get 10% off your order with the FRETBOARD discount code). This episode is also supported by Native Instruments, iZotope, and Plugin Alliance. Check out their Summer of Sound, the best-ever savings on ALL software, with 50% off products, updates, and upgrades, plus special hardware and software bundle deals. 

Musician/producer Blake Mills and Chris Weisman sit down with us to talk about Jelly Road, the forthcoming album they’ve co-written (out July 14 via New Deal / Verve Records). They talk about how they met – Chris is based in Brattleboro, Vermont, while Blake is based in Los Angeles – and the writing and recording process behind the gorgeous new album. We also chat about Blake’s recent appearance backing up Joni Mitchell at her already-legendary Gorge performance earlier this week, his current favorite guitars and gear (including the fretless guitar built by Duncan Price), the dangers of slide playing, and a lot more. Blake appeared on our Mystery of G. Weller Podcast earlier this year: https://www.fretboardjournal.com/podcasts/podcast-406-the-mystery-of-g-weller/ Listen to Mills’ new single “Skeleton Is Walking” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ri-pr4Egzng Pre-order Jelly Road: https://blakemills.lnk.to/jellyroadID See Blake Mills and Chris Weisman on their West Coast tour, now through June 2023: https://www.blakemillsonline.com Chris Weisman’s Bandcamp: https://chrisweisman.bandcamp.com Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal and start with our new, 52nd issue: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/products/fretboard-journal-annual-subscription Register for the Fretboard Summit (August 24-26, Chicago, Duncan Price will be there!): https://fretboardsummit.org Our podcast is sponsored by Deering Banjos; Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); and Stringjoy Strings(get 10% off your order with the FRETBOARD discount code). This episode is also supported by Native Instruments, iZotope, and Plugin Alliance. Check out their Summer of Sound, the best-ever savings on ALL software, with 50% off products, updates, and upgrades, plus special hardware and software bundle deals. 

Every month, we recap the latest guitar industry news with offset guitar hero Mike Adams (@puisheen). The month of May was fairly slow on the guitar news front, but Mike and FJ Publisher Jason Verlinde soldier on and discuss some of their favorite YouTube videos of late, ponder the world of signature guitars, share Fretboard Summit updates, talk about a recent Yeah Yeah Yeahs concert, honor the Iron Sheik (RIP), and more. Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal and start with our new, 52nd issue: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/products/fretboard-journal-annual-subscription Register for the Fretboard Summit (August 24-26, Chicago!): https://fretboardsummit.org Wire Instruments: https://www.wireinstruments.com/ Watch Mike bend a vibrato arm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92dBXYf7-5k Support Mike’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/puisheen Jason interviews Jim D'Addario, Bob Taylor and Andy Powers about Taylor Guitars' switch to D'Addario: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-dPpPuc4RE David Lindley Tribute Concert: https://www.fretboardjournal.com/columns/farewell-mr-dave-a-hometown-bids-goodbye-to-david-lindley/ Mason Stoops on Tim Pierce’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vrZjv8ojVQ The Truth About Vintage Amps Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-truth-about-vintage-amps-with-skip-simmons/id1442046563 Our podcast is sponsored by Deering Banjos; Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); and Stringjoy Strings(get 10% off your order with the FRETBOARD discount code). This episode is also supported by Native Instruments, iZotope, and Plugin Alliance. Check out their Summer of Sound, the best-ever savings on ALL software, with 50% off products, updates, and upgrades, plus special hardware and software bundle deals. 

On June 9, 2023, Fretboard Journal contributor and Kalamazoo Gals author John Thomas will set out on the wildest adventure of his life: Bikepacking the 2700-mile Tour Divide mountain bike route, from Banff, Canada to the US/Canada border. On this very special bonus episode of the podcast, we check in with John before he rides off. We talk about his recent piece on the Scott Chinery Blue Guitar collection for the new, 52nd issue of our magazine, discuss John’s health (he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2020), talk about his hopes/fears for the ride, and so much more. Follow John on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/john.thomas.98 Kalamazoo Gals: https://kalamazoogals.com John’s Prostate Cancer Recovery Channel on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@prostatecancerrecoverydiar6315/featured John Thomas and Greg Voros (Gruhn Guitars) at the Artisan Guitar Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4KUg4PENuE Want to meet John and many other FJ Podcast guests? Come to our 2023 Fretboard Summit August 24-26, 2023 at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music. Register here: https://fretboardsummit.org/ Subscribe to our magazine here: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/products/fretboard-journal-annual-subscription Our podcast is sponsored by Deering Banjos; Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Izotope (use the coupon code FRET10 to save 10% off their plug-ins); and Stringjoy Strings(get 10% off your order with the FRETBOARD discount code).

When the pandemic hit and live gigs were canceled, innumerable musicians began live-streaming concerts from home as a way to stay connected with fans. Among those was San Francisco-based duo Craig Ventresco and Meredith Axelrod, who perform ragtime guitar, early jazz and blues songs from the 1890s to the 1930s. Fast forward three years and Meredith and Craig are somehow still at it, streaming live performances from their home six evenings a week. In fact, they just celebrated their 1000th live-stream concert. On this week's FJ Podcast, we follow up with this pair of musicians whom we first documented on Ep. 290 of the podcast (link), back when they only had 100 or so shows under their belt. We hear about how their show has evolved, how they pick their repertoire, and so much more.  Follow the duo on Meredith's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/meredithaxelrod Support the duo here:  Paypal.me/meredithaxelrod Venmo: meredithaxelrod Want to meet some of the many personalities interviewed on this podcast? Come to our 2023 Fretboard Summit August 24-26, 2023 at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music. Register here: https://fretboardsummit.org/ Subscribe to our magazine here: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/products/fretboard-journal-annual-subscription Our podcast is sponsored by Deering Banjos; Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Izotope (use the coupon code FRET10 to save 10% off their plug-ins); and Stringjoy Strings(get 10% off your order with the FRETBOARD discount code).

Musician, therapist and zine publisher Matt Baldwin joins us this week for an insightful chat about the creative process and so much more. Matt talks to us about his career as a guitarist and the influence that Robbie Basho and John Fahey had on his largely self-taught playing. We also talk about his 'How to Play Guitar' zine series, where he shares some of his favorite tips, quotes, and life hacks. Last but not least, we discuss the Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy that he's conducting out of his Southern California office and learn about the crucial role that music plays in these sessions with his clients.  Some links discussed in this episode: https://www.instagram.com/baldwin_unlimited/ https://www.ketamineprovidersnetwork.com/ https://www.music-centered.org/ https://bandcamp.com/tag/psychic-arts Want to meet some of the many personalities interviewed on this podcast? Come to our 2023 Fretboard Summit August 24-26, 2023 at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music. Register here: https://fretboardsummit.org/ Subscribe to our magazine here: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/products/fretboard-journal-annual-subscription Our podcast is sponsored by Deering Banjos; Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Izotope (use the coupon code FRET10 to save 10% off their plug-ins); and Stringjoy Strings (get 10% off your order with the FRETBOARD discount code).

Musician, writer and educator Cameron Knowler joins us this week to talk about his incredible  self-published book, Guitars Have Feelings Too, and so much more. We learn about Cameron’s singular upbringing in Arizona (including how he was "unschooled" for most of his youth) and hear about how a random encounter with Norman Blake's music as a teenager forever changed his life. We also get his thoughts on the difference between old time and bluegrass music, the perils of flatpicking contests, how to horse trade instruments with your heroes, and so much more. Knowler is the FJ's newest contributor and in our 52nd issue, he pens a lengthy interview with Phoebe Bridgers' guitarist Harrison Whitford. We're happy to announce that Knowler will also be teaching the music of Norman Blake at the 2023 Fretboard Summit alongside Bob Minner. Order your copy of Guitars Have Feelings Too here: https://www.cameronknowler.com/shop-1/p/guitars-have-feelings-too Want to meet Cameron, Bob Minner, Wayne Henderson, Josh Scott, Bill Frisell, and dozens of other guitar luminaries? Come to our 2023 Fretboard Summit August 24-26, 2023 at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music. Register here: https://fretboardsummit.org/ Subscribe to our magazine here: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/products/fretboard-journal-annual-subscription Our podcast is sponsored by Deering Banjos; Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Izotope (use the coupon code FRET10 to save 10% off their plug-ins); and Stringjoy Strings (get 10% off your order with the FRETBOARD discount code).