Our guest this week on The Working Songwriter hails from The Woodlands, Texas. Hayes Carll is a singer, songwriter, and storyteller whose sharp wit and plainspoken poetry first broke through with his 2002 debut, 'Flowers & Liquor.' That was followed by 2008’s 'Trouble in Mind,' which delivered the hit “She Left Me for Jesus” and cemented his place among the genre’s most distinctive voices. Carll has toured with artists like Old Crow Medicine Show, Todd Snider, and Alison Krauss and his songs have been covered by Miranda Lambert, Lee Ann Womack, and Kenny Chesney. He’s recorded for Lost Highway, Dualtone, and Thirty Tigers and he’s performed on stages from Newport Folk Festival to Austin City Limits and the Grand Ole Opry.
'Rolling Stone' praises his work for its “razor-sharp wit and lived-in warmth,” while NPR notes his “keen eye for the human condition wrapped in disarming charm.” 'American Songwriter' calls him “one of Americana’s most reliable truth-tellers.”
Our show's most frequent guest pops by to discuss his latest album "We're Only Human" and finding a creative voice that's more true to himself.
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This episode originally aired on September 27, 2019.
The Nashville via New Jersey vocalist and songwriter discusses the turn of the century anti-folk scene in NYC, her major label debut being derailed by legendary producer Rick Rubin, and sobriety.
The Texas music icon passed away this week. Ten years ago he was the inaugural guest of this podcast. It was so gracious of him to sit down for a show that was just starting. He was always generous with his time and attention to younger artists. Another devastating loss for American music. This episode originally aired on February 26, 2016.
The Bard of East Nashville passed away last week at the age of 59. We are re-airing his episode of the podcast which was originally published in March of 2020.
This singer songwriter grew up playing in a family band in Canada before moving to New Zealand and beginning a career of her own. She has since shared the stage with Willie Nelson and Emmy Lou Harris, and built an audience all over the globe.
This songwriter rose to prominence with the viral success of his single, "A Drop in the Ocean", and has navigated a flourishing career for the past two decades.
The musical partnership of Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova has captivated worldwide audiences, even earning them an Academy Award in 2007 for the song "Falling Slowly".
This English musician was one of the defining voices of synth-pop throughout the 1980s and has built a remarkable career as a songwriter spanning four decades.
This prolific songwriter has fronted projects such as The Hush Sound, Gold Motel, and Springtime Carnivore. She has just written a memoir entitled "The Lost Voice" published by Harper Collins, that explores her struggle after losing her singing voice to a health condition.
Derek Sanders is the creative force behind this highly influential emo band that has been blazing a trail in American music for the last two decades.
This up and coming songwriter has toured with Troye Sivan and Yungblud, along with recording for Warner Brothers and Fearless Records.
Adam Turla is the creative force behind this beloved band from Bloomington, IN who have been touring their distinctive blend of gothic Americana for over two decades.
This Grammy award winning instrumentalist is considered the contemporary master of the dobro. He's played with everyone from Ray Charles to Billy Strings over the course of his decades long career.
This journeyman songwriter has written for Hoottie & the Blowfish, Lee Brice, Josh Turner, Craig Morgan and many others. He has stepped into the spotlight with an album of his own entitled "Cowboy Things".
Zack Fischmann is a musician who makes outsider folk music under the name Marmalade Mountain, but he has also built a music marketing consulting company that is supremely useful to independent artists.
This Grammy nominated singer-songwriter has worked with luminaries such as Jackson Browne, The Who and The Grateful Dead's Bob Weir, all the while maintaining her fruitful solo career.
A weekend of intensive songwriting workshops, podcasts, and concerts at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, IL May 23-25, 2025. Tickets available now. Visit joepugmusic.com/tour for more details!
Josh Ostrander is the creative force behind this beloved indie rock band. They've toured with Spoon, Muse, and Vance Joy. And their tunes have racked up tens of millions of downloads on Spotify.
This native of Mississippi has written for Darius Rucker and Kane Brown, and toured with Carrie Underwood, Old Dominion and many others. His songs have amassed nearly 300 million streams on Spotify and his latest single features country heavyweight Thomas Rhett.
This award winning South African songwriter has crafted an indelible career over decades with his bands All Night Radio and Big Sky, along with his acclaimed solo work.
This journeyman roots music artist has toured with Steve Earle, Adam Duritz and many others. He's recorded for Universal Music and Vanguard Records. And he's become one of the torch bearers for American songwriting over the last 25 years.
This group from Portland, Oregon tours the country with a novel blend of American roots music that features show-stopping vocal harmonies.
This legendary songwriter has toured with Lucinda Williams and Alejandro Escovedo, and collaborated with Warren Zevon.
This celebrated songwriter stops by the show to discuss her years touring with Dolly Parton, singing with Kenny Chesney, and releasing albums that were mainstays on country radio.