We make no apologies here: Our goal is to help artists as they work to make the world a more beautiful and musical place, and to help grow audiences for those artists, both in scale and in depth. You might notice that our conversations with artists, producers, authors, and industry leaders are usually focused on those two main themes: artist and audience development. I experienced this first-hand for decades at the Cornerstone Festival – and I have dedicated my life to it for over forty years. And now, as an artist and author myself – and as a professor and director of music industry studies – helping the next generation of songwriters and artists find their way in this algorithmically addled environment is very close to my heart. I’m still here – working to make sense of it all right alongside everyone else.
This is what we believe:
We believe music is spiritually significant, not merely entertaining. All music participates in something larger than itself.
We believe human curation is more valuable than algorithmic convenience. Trusted guides with great taste and earned judgment matter more than a machine that gives you more of what you already like.
We believe gathering matters more than commerce, though commerce makes gathering possible. The transaction is credible because the curation is trustworthy.
We believe countercultural conviction can be held without apology and without aggression. We know who we are. We are not interested in being popular in the wrong rooms.
We believe the artist and the audience are equally sacred. The line between them nearly disappears when music is doing what it is supposed to do. The faith underneath all of it shows up in the questions we bring, not in the answers we insist on.
We are a virtual – and occasionally real-life venue, not a feed, with lots of rooms to explore. A gathering place with human voices at the center -- asking what the work is doing to us, where it comes from, and why it matters.
We still believe. So do you. Come join us.
Episodes
Jan 4, 2023
Jan 4, 2023
1hr 43 min
Drew Holcomb is one of the most successful – and innovative – independent singer-songwriters working today. His rootsy, unadorned style has filled theaters and halls around the country, driven several singles up the Americana chart, seen some major placements in prominent films, television shows, and ad campaigns, and earned him a devoted fan base. Moon River, the festival he originally founded in Memphis, now draws tens of thousands of fans to Chattanooga, Tennessee, each September and has hosted Brandi Carlile, The National, Wilco, Dawes, Leon Bridges, Lord Huron, Allison Russell, Jason Isbell, The Avett Brothers, and so many more. So when True Tunes’ John J. Thompson was trying to choose a special guest to speak to the final gathering of his first class as a teacher at Lipscomb University's School of Music, he thought of Drew. Fortunately for him, his co-teacher (and boss) Platinum selling and Grammy Award-winning producer Brown Bannister happens to be Drew's father-in-law.
On this extraordinary episode of the podcast, Drew Holcomb comes to class! JJT is joined by eight students as guest interviewers, each bringing one excellent question, and Mr. Holcomb offers a world of wisdom, wit, humor, and inspiration. We hear about everything from his earliest days as a struggling artist to last fall's disastrous Moon River rain-out. We hear about making music with a spouse, managing a band with friends, learning how (and when) to co-write, his biggest mistake, and much more. Throughout the conversation, we also hear clips from a slew of rare tracks by Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors, and other friends and comrades.
Says the host: "I am thrilled to be kicking off my new position as the Director of Music Industry Studies at Lipscomb University's College of Entertainment and the Arts with this special glimpse into the creative and strategic conversations we are having with the next generation of artists, songwriters, and industry leaders. Drew was an amazing guest; this show is a gold mine of artist development wisdom. Thanks, Drew - and Brown - and to the students for bringing such excellent questions!" (JJT)
If you would like to support the show, please consider joining our Patreon community or dropping us a one-time tip and check out our NEW MERCH!
No comments yet. Be the first to say something!