Tag: BGS 5+5

BGS 5+5: Liam Kazar

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Liam Kazar
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Latest Album: Pilot Light (out November 7, 2025)

What’s your favorite memory from being on stage?

Recently I was on the Outlaw Country Tour with Waxahatchee. Sheryl Crow had invited us all to join her on stage for the last night. Her production folks started passing out little percussion instruments, I think I traded the tambourine with Spencer (drummer) for something reasonable I could play. We all stepped up on the drum riser, me with a drumstick and a cowbell. Then Sheryl turned around and took her guitar off in one smooth motion. She passed it to me and whispered, “D.” Once I made it through the first chorus and got the nod from her guitar player that I was hearing the right chords, I knew this would be the peak of my entire life.

What’s the toughest time you ever had writing a song?

The next one. Not to be cliché, but it’s true. I’m constantly in fear of having written my last song. I always start from a place of “how the hell do you do this?” I’m on tour right now and I’ve been working on a song whenever I have a guitar in my hands. I oscillate between knowing exactly what I think should happen next and feeling like starting over. Both can be the right answer and that’s pretty par for the course. But every once in a while they fall out of you like a dime from your pocket. Wish I knew how to make that happen every time.

How often do you hide behind a character in a song or use “you” when it’s actually “me”?

Flaubert said, “Madame Bovary, c’est moi.”

It’s all me and none of it’s true. I don’t think I could avoid myself if I tried, but I also pull little visions and observations from the people around me all the time. I think you have to be curious about people to be a good writer.

What is a genre, album, artist, musician, or song that you adore that would surprise people?

I would say 50% of the music I listen to is instrumental. Jazz from the ’40s and ’50s in particular. Hard bop and big band music is a constant. Duke Ellington is my favorite American artist. Endlessly inspiring and a huge influence on my melodic sensibility.

Although, recently I have been listening to a lot of Romantic symphonies. Beautiful and mind-altering!

If you had to write a mission statement for your career, what would it be?

I think Woody Guthrie might have said it better than I ever could: take it easy, but take it.

Photo Credit: Alexa Viscius

BGS 5+5: The Prickly Pair

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: The Prickly Pair
Hometown: Santa Monica, California (Mason Summit), Berwyn, Pennsylvania (Irene Greene). Now Nashville, Tennessee
Latest Album: The Prickly Pair (EP)
Personal Nicknames (or rejected band names): Sharktooth Necklace

What’s your favorite memory from being on stage?

Last year, we were honored to take part in a tribute to one of our songwriting heroes, Gene Clark, produced by Carla Olson at McCabe’s Guitar Shop, where Mason used to work. It was thrilling to perform alongside Gene’s family and collaborators.

What other art forms – literature, film, dance, painting, etc. – inform your music?

We watch a lot of movies together – foreign films, ’40s and ’50s film noir, and horror. Often, we’ll be watching a movie and when a phrase or line of dialogue stands out to us, we turn to each other at the same time and say, “Write that down!”

We’ve also written songs based on true stories and real people. Our song “Wilderness” was partially inspired by Chris McCandless (Into the Wild) and our latest single, “Swamp Angel,” is about Helen Spence, also known as the Daughter of the White River.

Genre is dead (long live genre!), but how would you describe the genres and styles your music inhabits?

We like to call ourselves an “Angsty Americana” duo – twangy music with a dose of melancholy and fatalism. We also love the recently-popularized term “Y’allternative,” as Mason’s production on our records tends to have some lo-fi and psychedelic elements alongside more traditional country instrumentation. Gram Parsons conceptualized “Cosmic American Music” and that phrase resonates with us as well.

What is a genre, album, artist, musician, or song that you adore that would surprise people?

We love Amyl & the Sniffers and saw them put on a phenomenal show at Marathon Music Works in Nashville earlier this year.

What would a perfect day as an artist and creator look like to you?

It’s a great feeling to finish a song and perform it the very same night.

Photo Credit: Bridey Caramagno

BGS 5+5: Sam Burchfield

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Sam Burchfield
Hometown: Seneca, South Carolina (now Jasper, Georgia)
Latest Album: Nature Speaks (out October 24 on Cloverdale Records)
Personal Nicknames (or rejected band names): Sammy B. Rejected band name: Sam & The Samwiches.

What was the first moment that you knew you wanted to be a musician?

Around the same time my older sister started playing electric bass, I saw O Brother, Where Art Thou? and I heard “Eruption” by Van Halen for the first time. These memories all felt very important to me wanting to start playing guitar. As soon as I started playing guitar there was no going back. It consumed my life in the best way. Started my first band in 7th grade and ever since I have been writing songs and putting out records. (Long live Kelly Sparks The Fuse, my experimental garage rock band from middle school.)

What’s the most difficult creative transformation you’ve ever undertaken?

Becoming a parent. Ha!

But for real, it has so drastically changed who I am. It feels like I have finally unfolded from within myself. The past 3 years – we just had our second child six months ago – have shown the biggest overall life challenges as well as growth that I’ve yet to experience. My wife and I have been pushed in every way to dig deep and push forward. It’s beautiful, it’s painful, it’s meaningful. Creatively, it has really focused me and helped me to cut away some of the fluff.

If you had to write a mission statement for your career, what would it be?

Going off the last question, it has been so hard to keep pursuing being an artist as a “career” over the last decade. I think it has also made me really value the core reason that I’m doing all of this and putting myself and my family through so much chaos sometimes.

Ultimately, I want to inspire people to see the truth, beauty, and goodness of the world.

Does pineapple really belong on pizza?

Without a doubt, but only when it’s next to that ham, babayyyyy!

If you didn’t work in music, what would you do instead?

Well my first dream job was professional Lego builder. So probably that.

Although, nowadays I really love a good home project. Currently building an addition on the house and there is nothing as satisfying as throwing up a freshly framed wall. So maybe a carpenter!

Photo Credit: Erin Burchfield

BGS 5+5: Meredith Moon

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Meredith Moon
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Latest Album: From Here to the Sea (released September 12, 2025)

Which artist has influenced you the most – and how?

I’m a bit of a deep-dive Dylan archivist. I’m one of those people who knows every bootleg series and can never get enough of the intricacies and nuances surrounding the various versions of his works. So while I know I’m not unique in this answer, I’d have to say Bob Dylan.

Which elements of nature do you spend the most time with and how do they impact your work?

I spend most of my time outside in an attempt to maintain my humanity, but I’m pretty sure I’ve spent the majority of my most meaningful/intentional time in nature up in the lake country of Ontario, canoeing in places like Algonquin Park, The Kawartha Highlands, Northwestern Ontario, etc. I’ve gone on quite a few trips that are generally about a week or two in duration; I did one solo trip (with my dog) in Southern Algonquin Park that lasted five nights and six days. When you’re out there, you know exactly why you’re there and everything you need just comes to you. If you know you know! My belief is that when we put ourselves in vulnerable positions we can access something way back in our DNA that sort of guides us on how to survive. So I like doing that every once in a while, just to remind myself that I’m still connected to that.

What’s the most difficult creative transformation you’ve ever undertaken?

Getting sober, hands down. It took me months after quitting drinking to remember that I was still a musician and that I could still craft songs. I think part of that is the sort of “biopic culture” that follows you around as a musician. That we all have to be drunk cowboys in bars in order to have validity within the Americana scene.

However, as soon as I got sober and actually talked openly about it, it turned out that the majority of musicians I looked up to in the scene were actually sober, too, all along. It came back to me eventually, but there was definitely a period of reinvention before I could get anything out.

What is a genre, album, artist, musician, or song that you adore that would surprise people?

I was real big on ’90s grunge as a teenager. Some may be surprised that there’s actually a pretty strong connection between that stuff and traditional American folk tunes – the structure, some of the changes, etc. When I was a kid, I would have songs by Hole next to songs by Odetta and Doc Watson on the same playlist. I just like songs that have a strong melody and focused lyrics. And if you look at the song that way, there isn’t much difference.

If you didn’t work in music, what would you do instead?

My first love was painting and probably always will be. I’ve done photography professionally as well through the years, as well as other crafts. So I suppose if the music weren’t around, I’d just switch to the visual arts.

Photo Credit: Someari Benson-Jaja

BGS 5+5: Olivia Barton

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Olivia Barton
Hometown: Maitland, Florida
Latest Album: For Myself and For You (released October 10, 2025)
Personal Nicknames (or rejected band names): Liv

What’s your favorite memory from being on stage?

Last year I played my second ever headline show in Philly. Kind of everything was going wrong… The venue was weird, you could hear Mariachi music playing from the kitchen my whole set, the sound guy was (you guessed it) an asshole. But there were about 40 of the most passionate, present, beautiful fans there with me. And during this one song called “Fun” they started singing the lyrics so loud on the second verse and I just lost it. Sometimes I can miss beautiful moments like that, because it’s almost too much to take it in – but this was too good to miss. I started sobbing, like genuinely crying really hard, and they sang the whole verse for me. It was magical.

Which artist has influenced you the most – and how?

Carole King. She and James Taylor were among the handful in constant rotation in my house growing up. There’s a “chicken or the egg” situation here – do I relate to her because she shaped me, or did I gravitate towards her because I already had similar qualities within me? She’s earnest. She’s not trying to sound smart or unique. She’s saying it like it is and saying it with her chest. She’s gritty and sensitive. No fluff. Songwriting over production, always. Sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes fun, most of the time both. I have a lot to learn from her still.

What other art forms – literature, film, dance, painting, etc. – inform your music?

I love abstract art. I’ve never considered myself to have synesthesia, but I do feel colors when I write. There’s this one abstract artist that’s done a lot for my music. Their name is Brit Chida and we’ve become friends. They make abstract art (mostly watercolor) coupled with their writing on trauma, queerness, finding joy – kinda everything. The first song on my record is called “There’s a Part of Me That Was Never Injured,” which is the title of one of Brit’s paintings. The painting and the title inspired me to write a song based off of that idea. Our deep friendship began from me asking their permission to use it.

If you didn’t work in music, what would you do instead?

Cook! My very favorite person is Julia Child. I’ve read and watched everything there is to read and watch about her. That’s more about me relating to her whole philosophy on creating than it is about me loving to cook, but I do also love to cook. I love food so much and I also associate my mom with cooking. When I was in high school she would light candles and pour a glass of wine and put on Norah Jones and sauté stuff without knowing what she was doing. So I do that now (without the wine) and if I wasn’t a musician, I think I’d go to cooking school and have dinner parties with my friends.

What is a genre, album, artist, musician, or song that you adore that would surprise people?

Charli XCX. I mean, not totally a surprise, who doesn’t love her? But I have thought a lot about what it is about her music that I’m so drawn towards since our genres couldn’t be more different. I’ve landed on the fact that her records (particularly Brat) are direct, minimal, brave, candid, bare, and liberating. I would say those are all things I strive to do in my music too. But beyond all that, Charli teaches me how to have fun.

Photo Credit: Blaire Beamer

BGS 5+5: We Met In June

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: We Met In June
Hometown: Currently living in Sogndal, Norway
Latest Album: Going Home (released September 19, 2025)

What was the first moment that you knew you wanted to be a musician?

I remember my dad and I driving through Minnesota when I was about eight years old. He had bought Fleetwood Mac’s collection CD so we’d have something to listen to and we played it over and over again. I became completely obsessed and that’s when I found a deep interest in music. I knew I wanted to do what Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie were doing. – Sara

I think I was around seven when I saw the music video for “The Final Countdown” by Europe and I thought the guitar solo by John Norum was the coolest thing ever. I remember thinking, “I want to do that someday!” I’ve also always looked up to my dad, who’s a great guitar player. He was the one who introduced me to acoustic music and bluegrass, which has been the greatest gift. – Gjest

Genre is dead (long live genre!), but how would you describe the genres and styles your music inhabits?

We’d say it’s a blend of singer-songwriter, folk, Americana, and pop. Some journalists in Norway have called our music “Nordicana,” which is basically a Nordic take on Americana. We’re inspired by a lot of ’70s music like Fleetwood Mac, Jackson Browne, Crosby, Stills & Nash, and we also love Kacey Musgraves and the whole Nashville country-pop scene.

On top of that, we listen to a lot of acoustic music like Alison Krauss & Union Station, Gillian Welch, Nickel Creek, Molly Tuttle, etc. Our acoustic guitar playing is very influenced by those bands and the sound on our new record is a dreamy mixture of acoustic guitars, sometimes mandolin and banjo, plus drums, bass, keyboards, and synths. – Gjest

Which elements of nature do you spend the most time with and how do they impact your work?

Living on the west coast of Norway surrounded by mountains and fjords has given us a strong bond with nature – it’s part of our everyday life. I start every morning with a walk to clear my head and get some fresh air. It always seems to lift my mood a bit. – Sara

And then there’s the weather – we get a lot of cold, rainy days here, which makes it easier and more natural to stay inside and play music, write, and practice. We’ve been to Nashville, for example, and it’s hard to understand how people get anything done in that heat! – Gjest

If you didn’t work in music, what would you do instead?

I’d probably be a veterinarian. It used to be my dream before We Met In June. In Norway it’s really difficult to get into veterinary school and I’ve actually applied every year since high school just to see if I’d get in. This summer, for the first time, I was accepted – and I have to admit, it hurt a little bit to turn down the spot. [Laughs] – Sara

I honestly have no idea. As a kid, I thought excavators were the coolest thing, but I probably wouldn’t be good at anything else. I’m just glad I get to do music. – Gjest

What’s one question you wish interviewers would stop asking you?

We appreciate all questions, but there’s one that always comes up: “What’s it like being a couple and working so closely together?”

We get why people are curious, but for us it feels completely natural to spend so much time together. And, honestly, if you’re going to work that closely with someone, why not do it with your favorite person in the world? Of course it’s not without challenges, like any partnership, but most of the time it’s an advantage. That said, we could definitely be better at taking breaks – it’s music 24/7! – Sara

Photo Credit: David Zadig

BGS 5+5: Elexa Dawson

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Elexa Dawson
Hometown: Emporia, Kansas
Latest Album: Stay Put (released September 12, 2025)
Personal Nicknames (or rejected band names): A lot of my friends call me Lexy

If you had to write a mission statement for your career, what would it be?

“Music is Medicine.” My songs and the ideas behind them are almost always in response to a heartache or mental puzzle that I find myself working out through lyrics and music. Some of my most positive and uplifting songs were written during times when I was experiencing a lot of hopelessness and depression. The songs are medicine for me, first, and then it’s a privilege to get to share these songs with people who reflect that healing effect back to me.

The most common comment I get from audiences is that they were able to cry during my set and, while that’s not what I set out to do, I lean into it, because in our Potawatomi traditions, tears are healing waters that need to flow through our bodies to help us move on beyond difficulties. So really, it’s an honor to be able to guide someone through an emotion like that.

Which elements of nature do you spend the most time with and how do they impact your work?

I’ve always been obsessed with food, foraging, and natural medicines, so I’d have to say plants. They are older than us humans and they remember how to survive through experiences that haven’t happened to them, but happened to generations before them, which is fascinating to me. They work with mycelium, the fungal strands that transmit messages and food through the soil network between their roots.

“Roots Grow” is all about how roots support life in darkness, and how important compost is to life, which teaches me what to do with the dead and decaying parts of myself that need composting. Plants are one of my greatest teachers.

What’s the most difficult creative transformation you’ve ever undertaken?

This is an interesting question, because the creative transformations that I’ve already undertaken are in hindsight. The obstacles have been overcome and the one I’m currently staring down is always the one I’m having the most difficulty with. The perennial theme is that there is always a tense relationship between the creation of music as a cathartic human exercise and the presentation of the music to the music industry and fans.

I think there’s always an insecurity that the artist feels when they put out new things. With Stay Put being released, I’m feeling simultaneously on edge about reviews and immensely proud of this really unique and singular moment in my creative process where Peter Oviatt (Moonflower Sounds) and I were able to create something that I think stands out, whether the response is as big as I think is deserved or not. I create for myself, but who doesn’t want to see their name on a chart?

If you didn’t work in music, what would you do instead?

I’d be working with the land more and hopefully not alone. I’ve got a degree in sustainable agriculture and while I love my messy garden outside my house, I would love to work with a team on a farm. I started a nonprofit called Good Way Gardens where we produce a monthly lawn concert series that’s free and open to the community and provides access to our educational garden spaces where we grow a lot of pollinator-benefitting plants, as well as a lot of native plants like the four sisters (corn, beans, squash, and sunflowers). It has been on a very small scale and we are working to increase our capacity for next year. So really, I found a way to put music and gardening together, which is a dream come true.

Since food and music go so well together, what is your dream pairing of a meal and a musician?

I’m a big Walnut Valley Festival evangelist. I’ve been attending this bluegrass festival in Winfield, Kansas, for 27 years. My all-femme bluegrass-adjacent vocal group, Weda Skirts, is performing on the main stages for the fourth year in a row. That’s where Heyleon, another group I’ve had the pleasure of recording a lot of material with, was born.

Food and music are all over that place there and one of my campmates is famous for his smoked meat. At the time of my writing this, the festival is approaching and I have to say my perfect pairing is Dusty’s bacon and a jam session at my campsite, which is home to Weda Skirts and also members of The Dewayn Brothers, Bad Chuck and the Bad Dreams, The Bennett Brothers, and Cowgirl’s Train Set. I am also really looking forward to sitting in the grandstands, eating a big plate of greek salad and dolmas, and watching John Depew Trio on Stage 1, who are friends and also phenomenal players. It’s their first time on the big stages and I’m ecstatic that more folks will be able to hear their genius. Winfield is home, and I can’t wait to go back.

Photo Credit: Jordan Storrer, Lifeleak Visuals

BGS 5+5: SAVNT of Ghost Hounds

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: SAVNT (lead singer of Ghost Hounds)
Hometown: Englewood, New Jersey
Latest Album: Almost Home (released by Ghost Hounds in March 2025)
Personal Nicknames (or rejected band names): Sav

What’s your favorite memory from being on stage?

My favorite memory from being on stage was back in 2018. A close friend of mine, Mitchell Lee, asked me to help him close his show at Music Farm in Charleston, South Carolina. I sang a song which we now know as “You’ll Never Find Me,” on our album Almost Home. By the time I got to the second chorus of the song, people were vibing so much that they were singing the chorus back to me. To witness a song no one had heard before make such an impact – that will forever be one of my favorite memories.

Which elements of nature do you spend the most time with and how do they impact your work?

Water is the element in nature I connect to the most. When I start writing a song, I am either walking in the rain, washing dishes, taking a shower, or standing by a body of water, and that’s when inspiration comes to me the most.

What’s the most difficult creative transformation you’ve ever undertaken?

Stepping into this new space as the lead singer of Ghost Hounds has been the most difficult yet rewarding creative transformation I’ve ever undertaken. As a solo artist you are often told to pick one lane, stick to it, and simplify your words so people can understand you; that doesn’t really work for someone like me, who is not only inspired by many genres of music and appreciates great storytelling.

With Ghost Hounds, I get to move wherever inspiration takes me. I get to explore my love of soul, folk, rock, blues, and country without apology. After coming from a world that was so restrictive, this type of freedom can be scary and you may feel like you are out of place. But with the support of my bandmates I realize the more authentic I am, the more real the music feels – in a world that teaches us to hide our emotions, this music thrives when you expose them.

What is the most random interview question you’ve ever been asked?

The most random question I’ve been asked was, “Is cereal a soup and is a hot dog a sandwich?”

If you were a color, what shade would you be – and why?

If I was a color I would be a shade of electric blue – the color of Iron Man’s heart piece. It reminds me of lightning and, for whatever reason, it makes me feel extremely powerful, like a storm.

Lead Image: Ghost Hounds by Allister Ann. Alternate image: SAVNT by Sergio Colon.

BGS 5+5: Lauren Lovelle

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Lauren Lovelle
Hometown: Newton, Kansas
Latest Album: My EP, Other Dreams, released September 9!
Personal Nicknames (or rejected band names): Lolo or Lo. I really liked the band name “Lauren Lovelle and the Matter Babies,” too.

Which artist has influenced you the most – and how?

I’ve always been mesmerized by Linda Ronstadt’s voice, and the passion she channels when singing. She pours her entire heart out. Every song she ever sang felt like it was completely her own.

What’s your favorite memory from being on stage?

My favorite memories onstage are with my dad’s band as a child. There is something supernaturally special about making music with kin. I started playing with him when I was four. The memories of my father and grandpa teaching me to play and perform pass through my mind to the soundtrack of that ABBA song, “Thank You For the Music.”

“Thank you for the music, the songs I’m singing/ Thanks for all the joy they’re bringing… Thank you for the music, for giving it to me.”

What other art forms – literature, film, dance, painting, etc. – inform your music?

I absolutely love to dance. It’s so necessary and healing. Just like my therapist would tell me to do with emotions, I like to identify where exactly I feel the song in my body. It can be powerful to share the emotional embodiments of the songs with the band to help us communicate and feel it as a unit. Sometimes, I write something that I feel in my legs and feet and it makes me want to stomp and strut around the stage. Sometimes I write something in my shoulders and chest and it makes me feel like I’m floating. Sometimes the song springs from my gut or hips where it feels more natural to dig my feet in, staying planted and upright.

If you didn’t work in music, what would you do instead?

I’m a nursing school dropout. I was a CNA for awhile, so I could’ve likely continued down that path. I always told my mom I’d be a truck driver so I could listen to music and sing in the car as loud as I want all day. But when I was old enough to find out they can’t smoke weed, I decided that was no longer in the cards for me.

Since food and music go so well together, what is your dream pairing of a meal and a musician?

It’s simple, but listening to Hank Williams and eating beans or chili and cornbread feels right. I have done it before on purpose and by accident. Real cowboy meal. Makes me feel close to my grandpas.

Photo Credit: Deanie Chen

BGS 5+5: Diane King

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Diane King
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee (grew up in Beverly, Ohio)
Latest Album: SKY (releasing September 19, 2025)
Personal Nicknames (or rejected band names): D-Music

Which artist has influenced you the most – and how?

I actually have five or six artists who have had a big influence on my songwriting and artistry. But, to pick one: it’s Olivia Newton-John. I heard her song, “Let Me Be There,” on our country radio station in southeastern Ohio when I was around 8 years old. I remember it vividly. We had just pulled into the grocery store parking lot as the song began to play. I asked my mom if we could listen to it before going into the store. She happily obliged and, at the end of the song, the DJ said, “That’s Olivia Newton-John,” and my life was changed.

Specifically speaking to her musical talents, the two things I love most are her beautiful voice and her flawless harmonies. I love vocal harmony and her albums are full of them! But, Livy is so much more to me than a singer or musical artist. In addition to loving her angelic voice, I love her kindness and gentle spirit. And, frankly, she was a light for me. As a young girl, I watched her career and accomplishments and I knew there was something outside of the hills where I was growing up.

Here’s an interesting story. When I was working with Harlan Howard we were going to lunch one day and he asked me who I received my “calling” through. I remember just looking at him and pausing, because I hadn’t known anyone before who understood that, receiving your calling to music through another artist. I knew exactly what he meant. After pausing, I said, “Olivia Newton-John,” and in my mind I reflected back on that day in the car at 8 years old, listening to “Let Me Be There.” Harlan nodded and said, “Yep! I met her once; she was a sweetheart and a great singer!” He proceeded to tell me he received his calling through Ernest Tubb over the radio listening to the Opry in a barn loft in Michigan. It was a moment, for someone to fully understand how another artist can have such profound meaning in your life. That person for me is Olivia Newton-John.

What’s your favorite memory from being on stage?

My favorite memory is going to be when I stand in the circle of the Grand Ole Opry to sing my songs on the live show for the first time!

What’s the most difficult creative transformation you’ve ever undertaken?

I had a five-year battle with and recovery from lymphoma. I had a significant amount of trauma to my neck and throat with multiple procedures and surgeries in that area. Once I finally turned the corner on that cancer battle and the healing began, my voice performed differently. That has been and still is a big adjustment for me. Singing is certainly not as easy as it used to be “BC” (before cancer, as I call it), but I keep at it! I’m so grateful to be writing, singing, and recording again!

What is a genre, album, artist, musician, or song that you adore that would surprise people?

These are some songs that will likely surprise you that stop me in my tracks when I hear them. When they’re playing, I have to stop whatever I’m doing and just listen and be in the song. I can’t function in any other way.

“Uptown Funk” – Bruno Mars
“Nessun Dorma” – Aretha Franklin
“Dancing Queen” – ABBA
“Play That Funky Music White Boy” – Wild Cherry
“Shake It Off” – Taylor Swift
“Shoop Shoop” – Whitney Houston
“Simply the Best” – Tina Turner
“Addicted to Love” – Robert Palmer
“Deborah’s Theme” – Chris Botti

Since food and music go so well together, what is your dream pairing of a meal and a musician?

I so love this question! I can’t even tell you how many times my co-producer, Stephan Oberhoff, and I would use food metaphors to communicate with each other what we wanted to hear when recording a song. Such as me saying, “Stephan, it needs to sound more lush, like a creamy, rich alfredo sauce with a subtle hint of salt.” Or, “Can you make it sound warmer – it needs a dash of nutmeg.” So, yes, I agree that food and music go well together, in many ways! To answer your question: Dolly Parton and fried chicken (with some spice) and waffles with real maple syrup, a side of mashed potatoes with butter, sweet iced tea, and a piece of homemade apple pie a la mode!

Photo Credit: Misti Fahr