Tag: Michaela Anne

The Other 22 Hours: Suzy Bogguss

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

How does an artist outlast the industry machine to build a career entirely on her own terms? We sit down with GRAMMY-winner, 1989 ACM Top New Female Vocalist, and 1992 CMA Horizon Award recipient Suzy Bogguss to explore the evolution of her 40-year career, which includes platinum records and her 2026 induction as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Our conversation is an invitation to reconsider what we all value, moving away from the noise of major label machines and toward a philosophy of quality over quantity, independence, and deep community.

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In This Episode:

– Suzy Bogguss
– Matraca Berg
– Jeff Hanna
– Ep 43 – Gretchen Peters
– Patty Loveless
– Ep 46 – Mary Chapin Carpenter
– Capitol Records
– CAA
– Kathy Mattea
– Folk Alliance
– Ep 16 – Rodney Crowell
– Chet Atkins

Go Deeper:

Watch: View this entire conversation on YouTube.
Explore: Find similar conversations in these themed playlists.
Connect: Join the conversation on Instagram.

The Other 22 Hours is hosted by Aaron Shafer-Haiss (producer, mixer, musician) and Michaela Anne (songwriter, artist, creative coach). More about Aaron’s work. More about Michaela Anne’s work.

Produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Original music written, performed and produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss.

Photo Credit: Doug Crider

The Other 22 Hours: Amythyst Kiah

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

GRAMMY-nominated songwriter Amythyst Kiah has performed with Moby and Billy Strings and is a member of the supergroup Our Native Daughters. She joins us for a startlingly honest look at the “farce of surface-level success.” After a label debut and a whirlwind of global exposure, she found herself “barely hanging on for dear life” amidst the pressure of a rat race industry. We explore her journey to achieve detachment from outcomes, writing for sync licensing as a creative recharge, and the ancient wisdom that helped her trade the self-improvement doom loop for a slower, sustainable creative life.

LISTEN: APPLE • SPOTIFY • AMAZON • MP3

In This Episode:

– Amythyst Kiah
– Our Native Daughters
– Brian Eno
– Music for Airports
– Allison Russell
– Tao Te Ching
– Marcus Aurelius
–  Siddhartha

Go Deeper:

Watch: View this entire conversation on YouTube.
Explore: Find similar conversations in these themed playlists.
Connect: Join the conversation on Instagram.

The Other 22 Hours is hosted by Aaron Shafer-Haiss (producer, mixer, musician) and Michaela Anne (songwriter, artist, creative coach). More about Aaron’s work. More about Michaela Anne’s work.

Produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Original music written, performed and produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss.

Photo Credit: Kevin King

The Other 22 Hours: James Victore

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

James Victore is an Emmy Award-winning artist and author whose work is held in the permanent collection of the Louvre and has been exhibited many times at MoMA (NYC). Victore has shaped the visual language of institutions from The New York Times to the City of New York. In this conversation, we explore the spiritual gravity of “staying in the pool” when creativity gets hard, discuss the incubation time of the soul, the environmental and creative toll of our want of ease, and the quiet, daily discipline of living consciously in a world designed to keep us asleep.

LISTEN: APPLE • SPOTIFY • AMAZON • MP3

In This Episode:

– James Victore
– Museum of Natural History NYC
– Mr Doodle
– Keith Haring
– Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
– A League of Their Own

Go Deeper:

Watch: View this entire conversation on YouTube.
Explore: Find similar conversations in these themed playlists.
Connect: Join the conversation on Instagram.

The Other 22 Hours is hosted by Aaron Shafer-Haiss (producer, mixer, musician) and Michaela Anne (songwriter, artist, creative coach). More about Aaron’s work. More about Michaela Anne’s work.

Produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Original music written, performed and produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss.

Photo Credit: Nick Onken

The Other 22 Hours: S.G. Goodman

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Singer-songwriter S.G. Goodman has earned critical acclaim, award nominations, and has worked with legends like Tyler Childers, Jason Isbell, and Jim James of My Morning Jacket. In this episode of the Other 22 Hours, we discuss the grueling physical and mental requirements of “making it.” From working manual labor to stay afloat while not on the road to navigating the complex realities of running a bona fide business, S.G. opens up about scarcity, OCD, and the hard-won wisdom of learning to drive the lawnmower instead of letting it drive you.

LISTEN: APPLE • SPOTIFY • AMAZON • MP3

In This Episode:

– SG Goodman
– Mas Tacos
– Madison Cunningham
– Jesse Welles

Go Deeper:

Watch: View this entire conversation on YouTube.
Explore: Find similar conversations in these themed playlists.
Connect: Join the conversation on Instagram.

The Other 22 Hours is hosted by Aaron Shafer-Haiss (producer, mixer, musician) and Michaela Anne (songwriter, artist, creative coach). More about Aaron’s work. More about Michaela Anne’s work.

Produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Original music written, performed and produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss.

Photo Credit: Ryan Hartley

The Other 22 Hours: Butch Walker

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Butch Walker has spent decades at the summit of the music industry, producing multi-platinum records for icons like Pink, Katy Perry, and Green Day while fronting his own high-energy solo tours. Yet, despite reaching that peak, he found himself “climbing the hill” so intently that he had forgotten to look at the view, leading to burnout and a desire to step back. In this episode of the Other 22 Hours, we explore the courage required to dismantle an ego-driven path in favor of a soul-driven one, and finding unbridled joy in the simple act of being a “sponge” for new inspiration.

LISTEN: APPLE • SPOTIFY • AMAZON • MP3

In This Episode:

– Butch Walker
– Marvelous 3
– John Legend
– Frank Zappa
– Train
– Taylor Swift
– Bad Bunny
– Kendrick Lamar
– Desmond Child

Go Deeper:

Watch: View this entire conversation on YouTube.
Explore: Find similar conversations in these themed playlists.
Connect: Join the conversation on Instagram.

The Other 22 Hours is hosted by Aaron Shafer-Haiss (producer, mixer, musician) and Michaela Anne (songwriter, artist, creative coach). More about Aaron’s work. More about Michaela Anne’s work.

Produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Original music written, performed and produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss.

Photo Credit: Rose Catherine Hohl

The Other 22 Hours Joins BGS Podcast Network

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

BGS is ecstatic to announced The Other 22 Hours, a beloved podcast hosted by singer-songwriter Michaela Anne and music producer Aaron Shafer-Haiss, is joining the BGS Podcast Network. Beginning Wednesday, March 4, new episodes of The Other 22 Hours will be distributed by BGS and hosted right here on our website, as well. Founded in 2023, the show has produced more than 130 episodes – which drop weekly – featuring conversations with renowned musicians and artists who share tools for resilience, helping all kinds of creatives to feel more inspired, connected, and confident in their creative journey. If an artist, creative, or musician is “performing” only a couple of hours each day, what do they do with the other 22 hours? The brand new season of the pod will launch Wednesday with an interview with producer, musician, and singer-songwriter Butch Walker. Subscribe now.

“BGS is thrilled to welcome The Other 22 Hours to the BGS Podcast Network,” said Cindy Howes, who directs the network for the Bluegrass Situation and Good Country. “Michaela and Aaron have developed a beautiful space to hold conversations that offer a unique look behind the humans who make the art we love. There’s so much the public at large does not know about what it takes to live and maintain a creative life; Michaela and Aaron help us all be more responsible patrons of the arts as well as seeding inspiration for our own creative endeavors.”

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Michaela Anne is a celebrated singer-songwriter and folk/Americana artist who has been covered by BGS and featured on our stages many times over the years. Shafer-Haiss, her husband and collaborator, is an accomplished record producer, drummer, songwriter, and composer. Together, they’ve have had thoughtful and down-to-earth conversations over the past few years with incredible creatives like The Milk Carton Kids, Leyla McCalla, Rodney Crowell, Adia Victoria, Mary Gauthier, Lori McKenna, Watkins Family Hour, Miko Marks, Brandy Clark, Tift Merritt, Raye Zaragoza, and many more.

“We’ve been friends and occasional collaborators with the BGS family for years,” Michaela Anne and Shafer-Haiss share via email, “so bringing The Other 22 Hours to the network feels like a bit of a homecoming. Our show has always been about the reality behind the highlight reel, a community-built road map to sustaining a creative life. We’re thrilled to get to align our conversations with a network that values the craft just as much as the art.”

To celebrate the Other 22 Hours joining the BGS Podcast Network and in anticipation of the new season launching this week, we’re sharing five of ours, Michaela Anne’s, and Shafer-Haiss’s favorite archive episodes from the podcast’s three existing seasons. Dive in, catch up on what you missed, and stay tuned for more episodes of The Other 22 Hours coming weekly right here on BGS and wherever you get podcasts. More info on the show here.

Rosanne Cash (EP 100, April 2025)

“We talk with the legendary songwriter about navigating insecurity and imposter syndrome, measuring your own success by your talent and not your validation, and allowing yourself to be called an artist. We also get into prose vs. songwriting, respect for yourself and for the audience, and Cash’s rituals.”

Maggie Smith (EP 96, March 2025)

“We talk with New York Times best-selling author about keeping the purity of your creativity, being integrated as a human, and trusting yourself to do what’s needed to keep this career going. Plus, being your own safety net, being open to completely revamping work, and arm wrestling.”

Yancey Strickler (EP 126, October 2025)

“We talk with the co-found of Kickstarter (and the Creative Independent, Metalabel, and Artist Corporations) about revolutionizing the creator economy. We talk about his concept and creation of Artist Corporations – think incorporating independent artists – the systemic exploitation of artists, how DSPs trade convenience for meaning and depth, platform boycotts, and ‘winning’ in its purest sense.”

JOHNNYSWIM (EP 113, July 2025)

“We talk with the folk/soul/pop duo about staying curious in your pursuits and creating space for wonder and childlike-ness. They offer their thoughts on how to rejuvenate yourself and your creativity on the run, the blinders of fixation, family, and more.”

Joe Henry (EP 39, 2023)

“We talk with the acclaimed songwriter and producer about keeping yourself in the creative stream, knowing when to step away, acceptance, and the quote, ‘How you do anything is how you do everything.'”

Photo Credit: Sam Wiseman

Balancing Dreams and Reality: A Folk Debate on Ambition

Posted on by Shelby Williamson

Welcome to another edition of Folk Debate Club, our occasional debate series! To discuss ambition vs. acceptance, we welcome our panel: music journalist Kim Ruehl, Basic Folk boss Cindy Howes, and yours truly Lizzie No. We would like to extend a very warm welcome to our special guests singer-songwriter Michaela Anne and producer Aaron Shafer-Haiss, also hosts of The Other 22 Hours podcast. In our lively conversation we work through thoughts and feelings about the definition of ambition: a strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work. We take the approach from a music industry, folk music and even dive into the audience perspective of how fans might feel about an artist’s ambition.

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It is no surprise that capitalism gets rung right out as a reason that ambition goes wrong for artists. As Kim says, “​Art ​is ​like ​the ​nervous ​system ​of ​humanity,” and mixing creation with ambition-gone-wrong is a dangerous game that a lot (most?) professional musicians play with at some point in their careers. This episode has everything: navigating our way out of toxic work environments, messy reactions to unpopular yet important political stances and how to not throw away the people who disagree with you. Listen along and enjoy the ride.

Photo Credit: Lizzie No by Cole Neilson; Cindy Howes by Liz Dutton; Michaela Anne and producer Aaron Shafer-Haiss; Kim Ruehl by Rich Amory

Cayamo – A Photo Recap of the 15th Journey Through Song

Posted on by Shelby Williamson

It was another sunny, music-filled week on Cayamo! With so many memorable collaborations and crossovers, this was a Cayamo we won’t soon forget, and this year’s lineup seriously brought the summer camp energy with all the fun that went down.

BGS’ official onboard events started with a tribute to the country music of the ’90s in Party On, Garth, hosted by Kelsey Waldon and her hot band. Just a few of our favorite moments: Caitlin Canty kicking off “Strawberry Wine” only to be joined onstage by the songwriter Matraca Berg herself, as well as Jeff Hanna of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Rainbow Girls brought the chaotic energy that “Goodbye Earl” deserves to the stage, resulting in an epic singalong. Allison Russell and Steve Poltz’s unforgettable “Waterfalls” jam and Twisted Pine’s enchanting take on The Cranberries’ “Dreams” let us all venture outside the country sphere. S.G. Goodman joined Kelsey onstage for “Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)” straight into “Chattahoochee” for a dancing crowd, and Kelsey went out “Swingin'” with some John Anderson. Other guests included Michaela Anne, Julie Williams, Libby Weitnauer, Thomas Bryan Eaton, Emma Burney of the Burney Sisters, and Paul Thorn.

Wednesday night found us in the Stardust Theater after hours for the first ever BGS Nightcap, hosted by Jerry Douglas. There weremany special moments throughout this set that we’ll be thinking about for a while. Jerry and the band spent the night hanging and jamming on the couch-filled stage with guests like the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Tommy Emmanuel, Mary Gauthier and Jaimee Harris, David Bromberg, Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams, and Twisted Pine, who closed it all out with a beautifully twisted version of John Hartford’s “Long Hot Summer Days.” As a result, we’ve firmly decided that roots music needs more flute.

In addition to solo sets from all these artists and more, there were so many fun collaborations onboard throughout the week, like Motown vs. Stax hosted by Devon Gilfillian and the Black Opry Revue, a tribute to the Rolling Stones hosted by Steve Poltz, Trampled by Tweedy, and Dirt Does Dylan, just to name a few. See below for some of our favorite moments from the week, as captured by Will Byington.

And just as this year’s fun ends, we’re already getting excited for 2024! Cayamo has announced their initial lineup, which includes folks like Lyle Lovett, Lucius, Nikki Lane, the Mavericks, and Sunny War. You can sign up for the pre-sale here (open until Feb. 26th at 11:59pm ET) and check out the full lineup (so far!) at cayamo.com.

 

Photos by Will Byington

BGS Wraps: Michaela Anne, “River”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Michaela Anne
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “River”
Album: Happy Xmas EP
Label: Yep Roc Records

In Their Words: “The impetus behind this record is that I was asked to perform a set of Christmas songs for a friend’s show. I had never thought of singing Christmas songs so I started from scratch, thinking of which songs I was most moved by and wanted to sing along with when they came on the radio. I wanted modern songs that felt classic to me. I had a five-month old baby at the time and was thinking about what soundtrack I wanted to create for her early Christmas memories. Fun and upbeat but also melancholy, emotional and beautiful, because that is what life is. I have warm memories now of sitting at the piano, practicing ‘River’ with my tiny baby wrapped to my chest, staring up at me.” — Michaela Anne

BGS 5+5: Michaela Anne

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Michaela Anne
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Latest Album: Oh to Be That Free

What’s your favorite memory from being on stage?

I love when I feel like I’m having a conversation with the audience and I’m not just standing up there singing at them. I’ve had so many fun shows like this but for some reason I remember a show at the Chapel in San Francisco, opening for Joe Pug in the fall of 2019. I was playing solo and I just remember laughing with the audience so much. Felt like I was in a room full of friends.

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

Literature for sure. Richard Powers’ book The Overstory was especially influential to this album, specifically the song “Trees.” So is the work of Barbara Kingsolver whose novels all have some incredible way of showing how connected and necessary we all are in nature. I love being in nature. I love the mountains and desert, the ocean, the forests. But because of where I live in Nashville, I spend most of my time walking in the woods by Percy Priest Lake. Being in nature calms me immensely and helps me remember that a lot of the stuff that distracts me from my work, the business of it all…none of it really matters in the big picture. Just make art.

What rituals do you have, either in the studio or before a show?

I try to gather myself and do a short meditation of sorts before going on stage. It’s a way to make sure I don’t feel so scattered and can retain my focus.

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

I love good food… Bastion is one of my favorite restaurants in Nashville. I’d have to say my dream would be a dinner there with Emmylou Harris. There are so many things I want to ask her.

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

Not very often. I definitely have written about different characters from time to time but most of my songs in some way always come back to me.

Photo Credit: Natia Cinco