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 3, 2021
Jan 3, 2021
1hr 3 min
We’re not calling these the BEST ALBUMS of the YEAR – but they are all pretty great. Yes, there are several other amazing records that are on other lists, or that everyone is talking about. But these are 20 albums that really stuck with us from 2020.
What are yours?
Make sure to FOLLOW our weekly Gallery Stage Mixtape for a blend of great music, new and old, of diverse genres, that is updated weekly. And if you want to see what you have missed over the last few years, check out the massive ARCHIVE list. If you have an “album of the year” that we did not touch on, drop us a line and let us know. We may include it on THIS EXTENDED LIST of great albums from 2020. And don’t miss this extended list of SINGLES from 2020. When we call this whole thing a conversation, we are serious! Join us at TrueTunes.com.
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!
Dec 19, 2020
Dec 19, 2020
32 min
On this special “Christmas Jukebox Takeover” edition of the podcast, we take a look at the three Christmas music releases by Over The Rhine, as well as their live-streamed 2020 Concert Special and Fundraiser, and talk about their long example of intentionally making space for beauty and grace, and how Christmas might serve as a sort of artistic and liturgical example for all of us during these cold days. Pour yourself something cheerful, make yourself comfortable, and join us by the speakers for a musical Christmas card that we hope might propel us all into, and through, the darkness that we know cannot overcome us.
Dec 1, 2020
Dec 1, 2020
20 min
This is an out-of-sequence "bonus track" from the conversation with Marc Byrd (Hammock, Common Children) that was hidden on the Show Notes page for the previous episode, and only a handful of folks found it. If you have not heard that episode check it out first. Here, Marc and John talk about the possible return of Hammock, and maybe even Common Children, in concert - and riff a bit more on the challenge of pursuing theological understanding. This "bonus track" also represents the launch of the new True Tunes PATREON program. In the future, extended conversations such as this will be available to our patrons! Find more information at Patreon.com/TrueTunes.
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!
Nov 23, 2020
Nov 23, 2020
1hr 42 min
As one half of the instrumental duo Hammock, Marc Byrd has been crafting some of the most influential ambient music of the last 20 years. His songs have found their way into major films, the stunning Ricky Gervais Netflix show After Life, and many more amazing places. But prior to his current career in the post-rock vanguard, Byrd wrote one of the biggest “worship” songs of the last couple of decades (“God of Wonders,”) and got his start in the alternative Christian rock world. And all along he has been haunted by the lingering effects of abuse, addiction, and trauma. On this episode of the True Tunes Podcast, we engage in an extended conversation with a man who is learning how to listen to the sounds resonating deeply within his heart, soul, and mind, and is inviting us to do the same.
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!
Oct 26, 2020
Oct 26, 2020
1hr 18 min
The late Larry Norman has been called the “father of Christian Rock,” though he said he never intended to create an alternate genre. U2, The Pixies’ Frank Black, and Dylan have called themselves fans. However, many who worked closely with him, came away seriously wounded in one way or another. What are we to make of messy, painful stories like his? Might the lasting legacy of Larry Norman have something to teach us about listening for the good, and discerning our own path to healing and beauty amongst damage? In this episode of the True Tunes Podcast, we visit with Larry’s son Mike Norman and hear what it was like to live with Larry and how he has come to terms with his father’s complicated legacy. We also unearth some previously unheard interview clips with Larry himself in which he talks about his regrets, offers advice for artists coming up behind him, and more. We'll also hear a lot of music, including an All Norman Jukebox takeover, and some Larry rarities.
Full Show Notes at https://truetunes.com/ep-17-larry-norman-its-complicated/
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!
Oct 1, 2020
Oct 1, 2020
1hr 7 min
Billed as "The 80's Hair Band Music Comedy You've Been Saving Yourself For," Electric Jesus is making its way across the country, appearing at film festivals and special screenings. In this episode, we visit with writer/producer Chris White, and composer of both the original songs and the score, Daniel Smith (Danielson Famile.) We also go back to last summer and visit the set of the film to talk with cast members, including Brian Baumgartner (a.k.a Kevin Malone from The Office) and the rest of the key actors.
Along the way, we discuss the strange beauty of failure and the difference between propaganda and art that explores the nature of faith. We also offer an advance listen to a lot of the new music from the film, including a brand new track from Steve Taylor and the Danielson Foil.
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!
Sep 10, 2020
Sep 10, 2020
1hr 15 min
Buddy Miller is a true master. He has spent his award-winning career as an artist, guitarist, songwriter, and producer, transcending trends, honoring history, pointing out beauty, and serving others well. On this episode, we visit Miller in his legendary home studio- the very space that has captured musical moments crafted by not only Buddy and Julie Miller, but Emmylou Harris, Jim Lauderdale, Robert Plant, Steve Earle, Carolina Chocolate Drops, The War and Treaty, and so many more. We talk about his earliest memories of music, how it captivated him, and how his professional path emerged. On the Jukebox, we survey his various solo albums and collaborations.
What does it take to become a good listener? Buddy’s got “big ears,” as you’ll soon come to understand. With some discipline and effort, we might develop big ears, and big hearts, as well.
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!
Aug 25, 2020
Aug 25, 2020
1hr 8 min
Why is it that some of the most compelling art is the dark stuff? Likewise – why is it that when it gets too dark, it becomes less interesting, and not more? And why is it so difficult for spiritually anchored music to get this right? We’re diving into the deep end on this episode of the podcast, with a look at pain and darkness and just how important they can be to genuinely redemptive art.
Join us as we visit with Ella Mine, a brand new artist who recently released her debut album and left us all slack-jawed. Dream War blends progressive rock, classical, folk, and modern pop elements into something that sounds timeless, fresh, and enveloping. Conceived as a live performance piece, it plays like the soundtrack to an epic film or Broadway experience – and yet is as intimate and immediate as a breath. And the whole thing was birthed in and deals with tremendous pain. You’ll hear all about it, including a guided tour through the entire album when Ella takes over the Jukebox.
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!
Aug 12, 2020
Aug 12, 2020
1hr 11 min
We wrap up our wide-ranging conversation with veteran artists, songwriters, and producers, Don and Lori Chaffer, with a look at their latest Waterdeep album, Tandem, and some practical and inspirational words for young artists and producers looking for a path in these challenging days. The Chaffers have confronted all manners of challenges in their 25+ years as artists and have re-defined "success" in this new creative economy. Tandem demonstrates their artfulness and excellence in ways that remind us of specific radical, Biblical ideas about love.
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!
Aug 5, 2020
Aug 5, 2020
1hr 3 min
In this conversation we explore the unique challenges and opportunities of "adult music" as we catch up with Don and Lori Chaffer of Waterdeep and reflect upon all three albums by Buddy & Julie Miller on the Jukebox. Independent artists and aspiring songwriters and producers take note, the Chaffers are a thriving creative cottage industry unto themselves and they offer a fascinating example of what success looks like these days. (Part 1 of 2)
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!