Best CreatiVets Podcasts (2025)

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Season 5 - Episode 10: Eric Knight & Ritch Esra of MUBUTV - Learning Who Your Audience Is, Finding Where They Are And Going After Them 1:44:10

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2+ y ago1:44:10

1:44:10

This week we are wrapping up season 5 with two amazing guests! I’m talking with Eric Knight & Ritch Esra of MUBUTV (Music Business Television) in Los Angeles, CA. These guys have a combined goldmine of knowledge and advice that covers the whole gambit of the music industry. Ritch worked at two record labels; A&M in radio promotion and Arista in A&R…

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Season 5 - Episode 9: Julie Klinger of The Christian Festival Association - How To Work Your Way Up In A Festival 39:24

2+ y ago39:24

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This week I’m talking with Julie Klinger who is the executive director of the Christian Festival Association. Julie oversees 25 festivals around the country. We are discussing what the CFA does, the importance of volunteers to make music festivals of any genre successful, how to start your own local festival and what artists who want to perform at …

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Season 5 - Episode 8: Brian Steckler - Deciding What Success Looks Like To You 1:33:16

2+ y ago1:33:16

1:33:16

This week I’m talking with writer, producer and composer Brian Steckler in CA. Brian has made a successful career for himself producing albums, composing for sync and library production music with NBC, CBS, Netflix and more. Brian has won a Clio award for helping create the audio and star in one of the most famous Super Bowl ads of all time as a ce…

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Season 5 - Episode 7: Richard Casper of CreatiVets - Writing Songs For Veterans 1:18:04

2+ y ago1:18:04

1:18:04

This week I am talking with Richard Casper of CreatiVets in Nashville, TN. Richard is a military veteran that suffered a brain injury in the war and has since found healing through music. He co-founded the non-profit CreatiVets to help other veterans write songs with hit songwriters that help them communicate their thoughts and feelings to start th…

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Season 5 - Episode 6: Adam Taylor of APM Music - Success Is Based On The Quality Of Music 1:01:07

2+ y ago1:01:07

1:01:07

This week I’m talking with Adam Taylor, president of APM Music. APM is the world's leading creative music house and production music library. With placements in network tv, Netflix and Disney + to tons of blockbuster films, it’s no wonder APM is at the forefront of the sync and music production library world. Crazy thing about Adam, he has no music…

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Season 5 - Episode 5: Rehya Stevens - Don’t Abandon Your Authenticity 1:26:55

2+ y ago1:26:55

1:26:55

This week I’m talking with Rehya Stevens. Rehya is a very successful indie pop artist who also makes a great living in the sync world. She’s had placements on Lifetime, Peacock, Disney +, ABC, Hallmark and more, plus, multiple commercial ads. We are discussing filling a hole needed in the sync industry with Christmas music, how to reach out to outl…

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Season 5 - Episode 4: Goldpine - Starting Over 1:07:48

2+ y ago1:07:48

1:07:48

This week I am talking with Benjamin and Kassie Wilson of the Americana duo Goldpine. Formerly called My One and Only, Goldpine is cathartic, moody, raucous, and relevant all wrapped into one package as they tour the U.S. playing for audiences large and small. We are discussing changing band names and how it affects you, starting over from an audie…

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Season 5 - Episode 3: Doug Gould of Worship MD - Starting From The Bottom Of The Barrel 1:08:48

2+ y ago1:08:48

1:08:48

This week I am talking with Doug Gould of Worship MD. Doug is tech consultant who works with venues all over the country, helping train them in running their sound equipment and getting the best sound out of their gear and room. He specializes in working with houses of worship and getting sound teams and worship teams to work together and create th…

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Season 5 - Episode 2: Mac Powell - Dissatisfied Contentment 31:28

2+ y ago31:28

31:28

This week I am talking with recording artist Mac Powell live from Lifest Music City just outside of Nashville, TN. Mac is best known as the frontman for the Christian rock band Third Day who released 13 albums in 21 years and received 4 Grammy Awards and 25 Dove Awards. He has been building his solo career over the past few years and is not shy to …

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Season 5 - Episode 1: Ghostwriter Music - The # 1 Rule Of Writing Movie Trailer Music 1:35:33

2+ y ago1:35:33

1:35:33

This week I’m talking with Chris Bragg and Travis Michaud of Ghostwriter Music here in Nashville and in L.A. Ghostwriter is one of the most sought after companies that creates exciting and emotional music put to the trailers we love to watch when anticipating the release of a new tv show or movie coming to theaters. Their music has been used in tra…

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Season 4 - Episode 10: Galen Crew - The Pioneer Feeling 1:08:00

3y ago1:08:00

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This week we end season 4 with recording artist, producer, and songwriter Galen Crew in Nashville, TN. Galen’s music is known for its dream-like quality which often features deep yet whimsical themes and seems to emanate from a different world. He is a huge fan of Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and other fantasy writers and if you imagine the mysterious Grimm…

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Season 4 - Episode 9: Peder Eide - Being A Product Of Great People 30:55

3y ago30:55

30:55

This week I’m talking with Peder Eide from Lifest 2022. Peder has been the main stage host at Lifest for over 20 years as well as a successful independent artist. We are discussing what it takes to be a host/emcee for music festivals, how to interact with an audience and having venues to trust you to bring what they need. Sponsors: Edenbrooke Produ…

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Season 4 - Episode 8: Dante Bowe - Know Your Core Values 33:10

3y ago33:10

33:10

This week I’m talking with five-time GRAMMY Nominated and platinum-selling songwriter and recording artist Dante Bowe at Lifest 2022. Dante made history as the first artist to have the greatest number of simultaneous GRAMMY nominations in both Gospel & Christian genres with 3 solo and 2 group award nominations for the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards. We …

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Season 4 - Episode 7: Rebecca St. James - Don’t Buy Into Your Publicity 33:00

3y ago33:00

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This week I’m talking with Rebecca St. James at Lifest 2022. Rebecca is a GRAMMY®-winning singer/songwriter, best-selling author, speaker and among the most defining artists in Christian music history. She also comes from a family that is firmly rooted in the music business, with a father who is a successful manager and brothers who make up the duo…

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Season 4 - Episode 6: Matt Roberts & Joe Piver - A Beautiful Chaotic Mess 33:57

3y ago33:57

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This week I’m talk with Matt Roberts and Joe Piver from Jeff Roberts & Associates in Nashville, TN. JRA is a booking agency that works with some of the biggest names in Christian music including We The Kingdom, For King and Country and Skillet as well as breakout artists Anne Wilson, Katy Nicole, CAIN and many more. We are discussing the process of…

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Season 4 - Episode 5: Mike Gowen - Being A Cheerleader VS. A Security Guard 54:20

3y ago54:20

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This week I’m talking with Mike Gowen, president of Milestone Publicity in Nashville. Milestone teams with clients to generate awareness in the media to effectively promote their brands, singles, albums, tours and much more. We are discussing educating potential customers, how to deal with nightmare situations with clients and the difference in rep…

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Season 4 - Episode 4: Jason Davis - Shared Vision 1:49:24

3y ago1:49:24

1:49:24

This week I am talking with music industry icon Jason Davis. Jason is an entertainment industry executive with a broad range of titles including award winning songwriter and author, independent record label president, executive TV producer, entertainment consultant, former Senior VP of A&R for Dolly Parton's CTK management company and more. We are …

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Season 4 - Episode 3: Korey Hicks - The Mind, The Ear and The Hand 1:14:05

3y ago1:14:05

1:14:05

This week I’m talking with Korey Hicks from Visible Music College. Korey Hicks is the Head of both the Music Theory and Guitar Divisions globally at Visible Music College, one of the premier Christian institutions of higher learning in the country. In addition to being a professor and guitar teacher, Korey spent years playing in the House Band at B…

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Season 4 - Episode 2: Pam Lewis - The Glue That Holds It All Together 1:02:00

3y ago1:02:00

1:02:00

This week I’m talking with Pam Lewis of PLA Media in Nashville. PLA is a Public Relations company that gets their clients in front of audiences and consumers through public appearances on tv and in print. Pam has an amazing history of being one of the people who launched MTV in the early 80s and also helped launch the careers of Garth Brooks and Tr…

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Season 4 - Episode 1: Steven Curtis Chapman - Follow Where The Music Takes You 1:12:42

3y ago1:12:42

1:12:42

This week I am kicking off season 4 talking with my hero, mentor and dear friend Steve Curtis Chapman. Steven is celebrating 35 years in the music industry this year and is celebrating by releasing a brand new album called “Still.” He is the most awarded artist in Christian music history with 49 No. 1 singles, 59 GMA Dove Awards, multiple GRAMMYs a…

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Season 3 - Episode 10: Tom Golly - Build A Family, Not Employees 2:08:09

3+ y ago2:08:09

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This week I’m talking with Christian music artist Tom Golly. Tom is a successful independent artist who has had a lot of success touring and working the festival circuit on his own initiative. We are discussing how to reach out to churches and music festivals as an indie artist when booking tours and how to have the best chance to make it on the ma…

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Season 3 - Episode 9: Alex Whiten - Have Transferable Skills 56:07

3+ y ago56:07

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This week I’m talking with Alex Whiten of The Stable Collective in Franklin, TN. Alex is on the team that handles artist management and brand development for Steven Curtis Chapman, Mary Beth Chapman and Jillian Edwards. We are discussing how living where you want to work and making yourself known to people will help you when opportunities become av…

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Season 3 - Episode 8: Natasha Owens - God Always Equips Who He Calls 43:37

3+ y ago43:37

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This week, I am talking with Natasha Owens in front of a live audience at Lifest music festival in Osh Kosh, WI. as she shares how her first ever concert she performed was opening for Michael W. Smith as well as touring and learning life lessons from Jason Crabb. We discuss what is like to tour with a full band and the costs and challenges of ownin…

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Season 3 - Episode 7: John Martin Keith - The Definition Of Success 46:38

3+ y ago46:38

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This week I’m talking with a live audience at Lifest in Osh Kosh, WI sharing my story and answering questions from the audience about the music industry. We are discussing the pros and cons of streaming platforms, the importance of having other writers critique your songwriting and what I believe is the definition of success for anyone pursuing a c…

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Season 3 - Episode 6: Ben McDonald of Sidewalk Prophets - Resilience 47:00

3+ y ago47:00

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photo by jasonwaitephotography.com This week, I’m talking with Ben McDonald of the band Sidewalk Prophets in my first ever live recording with an audience at Lifest music festival in Osh Kosh, WI. With three major studio albums, five #1 hits, and eight top 5 songs under their belt, Sidewalk Prophets has solidified their place among the elite artist…

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Season 3 - Episode 5: Chris Clayton - The Nashville Bar 1:28:42

3+ y ago1:28:42

1:28:42

This week I’m talking with my friend, co-writer, co-producer and fellow worship pastor Chris Clayton. Chris is one of the top worship music producers in Nashville. His track record includes some of my favorite artists including Shane and Shane, Big Daddy Weave and Phillips, Craig and Dean and his songs have been featured in Lifeway, Word and Integr…

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Season 3 - Episode 4: John Clinebell - Go From Learning To Earning 1:01:24

4y ago1:01:24

1:01:24

This week I’m talking with John Clinebell of Sync It! Music and Licensing Basecamp which teaches artists and producers to get their songs and production up to standard for sync pitching. John has tons of sync placements including Fox, Disney/ABC, CBS, Starbucks and more. We are discussing the best ways to approach making music and pitching music in…

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Season 3 - Episode 3: Jason Brooks - Availability Is Essential 1:27:43

4y ago1:27:43

1:27:43

Photo by: @kathryntbyrd This week I’m talking with my friend a fellow guitarist Jason Brooks. We met while working on the tv show Nashville together a few years ago. Jason has toured all over the world and played on multiple talk shows as a guitar player for some of today’s most popular country artists including Cassadee Pope, Danielle Bradbery, Ma…

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Season 3 - Episode 2: Ross King - 3 Ways To Be Successful In The Music Business 1:40:25

4y ago1:40:25

1:40:25

This week I’m talking with my friend and co-writer Ross King. Ross is a hit songwriter with Centricity Music in Franklin, TN with cuts by Jordan Feliz, Newsboys, JJ Heller and more. In addition to writing songs for himself and other artists, Ross is a successful sync music writer with multiple placements on tv. We are discussing the value of buildi…

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Season 3 - Episode 1: Tony Wood - The Single Is Everything 1:20:45

4y ago1:20:45

1:20:45

This week I’m talking with my friend Tony Wood who is one of the most successful songwriters in music, period. He currently has 34 #1 songs across multiple genres and over 900 songs recorded by various artists like: Michael W. Smith, Zach Williams, Reba McEntire, for KING & COUNTRY, Oak Ridge Boys, Ricky Skaggs, Scott Krippayne and Bill Gaither and…

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Season 2 - Episode 20: John Dougherty - Keep Your Attendee In Mind At Music Festivals 1:11:31

4+ y ago1:11:31

1:11:31

This week I am talking with my long time friend John Dougherty who is the director of Lifest Music Festival in Osh Kosh, WI and Nashville, TN. We are talking about his rise through the ranks from a stage hand to the man in charge of one of the largest Christian Music Festivals in the country. Also, we are discussing the importance of being kind to …

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Season 2 - Episode 19: Catherine Joy - Be Careful How You Represent Yourself 52:55

4+ y ago52:55

52:55

This week I am talking with composer Catherine Joy. Catherine is the founder and CEO of Joy Music House, which is a full service score production company in L.A.. She is also the Vice President for the Alliance for Women Film Composers. Her music has been featured on projects for Netflix, Amazon and HBO to name a few. Today we are talking about the…

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Season 2 - Episode 18: Steven Scharf - Always Go With Your Gut Instinct 1:04:14

4+ y ago1:04:14

1:04:14

This week I am talking with my friend Steven Scharf from Rhode Island. His company, Steven Scharf Entertainment, works with independent artists and producers to get their music licensed in tv and film projects. Steven also served as Senior V.P. Creative for the publishing company Carlin America, and oversaw the licensing of songwriters and artists …

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Season 2 - Episode 17: Alex Geringas - Focus 1:01:28

4+ y ago1:01:28

1:01:28

This week I am talking with hit songwriter, composer and producer Alex Geringas from the company Rare Behavior. His songs have been recorded by Snoop Dogg, Jessie J and Cher to name a few and his music is used in multiple movies including Pitch Perfect 3 and The Lego Ninjago Movie and the tv shows Beat Shazam and Trollstopia. We are talking about w…

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Season 2 - Episode 16: Daryl Berg - You Have To Understand What Your Audience Is 21:43

5y ago21:43

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This week I am talking with Daryl Berg who is the music supervisor for Crown Media which owns The Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies and Mysteries. He has also worked with Fremantle Media as head of music and worked on various game shows. We are talking about the kind of music Hallmark is looking for and the kind of music composers need to create…

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Season 2 - Episode 15: Glory Reinstein - The Song Has To Fit Like A Glove 49:25

5y ago49:25

49:25

This week I’m talking with Glory Reinstein who is the owner of the sync licensing agency Song and Film which I am honored to work with. We are talking about the day to day aspects of running a sync licensing agency, what to know when starting your own sync agency and the importance of the music needing to enhance, not distract from the story. Spons…

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Season 2 - Episode 14: Christian Michael Sancho - Do Your Homework And Be Open To Learning 1:39:39

5y ago1:39:39

1:39:39

This week I’m talking with my good friend Christian Sancho. Christian is a professional touring bass player who is currently working with country artist Ashley McBryde. We are discussing the dos and dont's when auditioning to be in a band for a major label artist plus, the differences in playing small venues vs. large arenas and late night talk sho…

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Season 2 - Episode 13: Michael Sloan - Growing Your Audience on Spotify 1:01:59

5y ago1:01:59

1:01:59

This week I am talking with digital strategist Michael Sloane who works musicians, management, labels, and entertainment brands, building successful and profitable relationships. His company Streaming Promotions helps grow audiences for artists on Streaming playlists. We are talking about how to connect with streaming services and get your music in…

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Season 2 - Episode 12: Kristina Benson - The Four Word Secret To The Music Industry 35:41

5y ago35:41

35:41

This week I am talking with my friend Kristina Benson of the sync licensing agency Sweet On Top who I have the privilege of writing for. We are talking about what she does as a sync agent, what it takes to start your own sync agency and making sure you understand how the business works before you reach out to get an agent. Sponsors: Edenbrooke Prod…

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Writing/Producing Until It Feels Like Home - Jeff Coplan 48:27

5y ago48:27

48:27

Jeff Coplan is a #1 songwriter (Angel Eyes by Love and Theft), the producer and bass session player for CreatiVets studio sessions as well as the lead guitarist for country rock band, Blackjack Billy. We discuss the magic that is created in Nashville studio sessions as well as Jeff's experience writing "Until It Feels Like Home" with veteran Jesse …

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Season 2 - Episode 11: Matt Menefee - You Have To Be In The Scene To Be Seen 42:11

5y ago42:11

42:11

This week I’m talking with banjo picker extraordinare Matt Menefee who has worked with Ricky Skaggs, Mumford and Sons and Bruce Hornsby as well as other artists from all genres of music. We discuss the importance of being around the people you want to work with and making your presence known. Plus, how the internet can be your best tool as an indie…

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Expanding Your Voice - Mark Thress 56:02

5y ago56:02

56:02

Mark Thress is a classical and commercial musician, a vocal instructor at Belmont University and the founder of Vocal 360. We discuss vocal hacks as well as the link between the brain and the voice. - https://www.markthress.com/ - IG: markthressBy CreatiVets

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Season 2 - Episode 10: Scott Dudley - Your Music Is A Commodity 51:11

5y ago51:11

51:11

This week I’m talking with Scott Dudley of the sync music house Push.Audio. We are discussing developing your sound and being yourself when creating music for sync. Plus, the importance of creating songs with a similar “vibe” as the reference track, but not “sound a likes” when it comes to sync music as well as being able to write and be creative u…

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Season 2 - Episode 9: James Shotwell - Only Chase The Things You Are Passionate About 56:24

5y ago56:24

56:24

This week I am talking with my friend James Shotwell. James works with the company Haulix where he focuses on digital music distribution and their music industry job board which is an ever-growing list of music industry job openings all over the country. If you are looking for a job in the music industry, this is a great place to start! Sponsors: E…

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Season 2 - Episode 8: Lauren Light - Networking Is Key 1:17:40

5y ago1:17:40

1:17:40

This week I am talking with my friend Lauren Light who is a fellow singer-songwriter and sync artist. We are talking about booking for festivals, fairs and conventions and the importance of working with The Association of Festivals and Events to get in that market as well as touring in the college market and what you need to do to be successful in …

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Season 2 - Episode 7: Carl Cartee - Hustle Beats Talent Every Day 1:16:32

5y ago1:16:32

1:16:32

This week I’m talking with my dear friend Carl Cartee who is the worship pastor at my home church Fellowship Bible Church in Brentwood, TN. We are talking about the importance of being discipled by a mentor when you are starting out as a worship leader and how you are a communicator using music as a means to encourage people. Sponsors: Edenbrooke P…

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Season 2 - Episode 6: Paul Wiltshire - Make Sure There’s An Instrumental Version 1:08:48

5y ago1:08:48

1:08:48

This week I’m talking with Songtradr CEO Paul Wiltshire. Paul founded Songtradr which is the largest online sync agency platform in the world. We are discussing how Songtradr works if you are looking for an agency to rep your music, the benefits of being on their playlists, why it is essential to upload WAV files and the necessity of having instrum…

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Season 2 - Episode 5: Mark Miller - Building Your Fan base For The College Market 1:23:27

5y ago1:23:27

1:23:27

This week I’m talking with my friend Mark Miller from the company Brave Enough which does concert booking for the college market. We are discussing what it takes to get booked at colleges across the country and the importance of showcasing at either NACA or APCA which are the campus activities associations you have to use to get into this market. P…

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Season 2 - Episode 4: Brent Barcus - Learn The Music Inside And Out 1:38:33

5y ago1:38:33

1:38:33

This week I’m talking with my buddy Brent Barcus. Brent is one of my favorite guitar players that I have followed for many years. He’s toured with Shania Twain, Steven Curtis Chapman and DC Talk just to name a few. We are discussing the importance of getting the same sounds as the artists you want to play for and having a humble confidence when goi…

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Season 2 - Episode 3: Ben and Lauren Johnson - Every Setback Is Just A Setup For A Comeback 1:40:40

5y ago1:40:40

1:40:40

This week I’m talking with my friends Ben and Lauren Johnson. We are talking about the pros and cons of being married and both working as professional musicians in different aspects of the industry. As well as discussing how connecting with the right people in the industry who can mentor you can help launch your career and open doors that might now…