Artist Connection Podcast

Today's episode features the long awaited return of J Smith to The Artist Connection Podcast! J first appeared back in July of 2012 for Ep 091. Since that time, he has been through some life changing experiences and has grown as a man and an artist. The good news is he is back with a brand new single and a new outlook on his future. J's music has always been positive but he went through some things that put his attitude to the test. He came out on the other side and is ready to impress us all over again. J's new track "MONEY" is featured here along with a new interview. Learn more about J Smith at Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. If you reach out to J, please let him know that you heard him here first. Enjoy! If you are looking for an easy way to support this show that won't cost you anything extra, please click through this LINK whenever you shop at Amazon. It goes a long way in keeping the lights on around here. Thank you in advance! We do not own any copyrights to the songs played on this episode

Today's guest is Jax! Many of you know her from Season 14 of American Idol. She had so many cool musical moments that led to her strong finish. Her diverse song selections made her one of my all time favorites in the history of that show. It was great to speak with her about her influences and her brand new single "La La Land" which is featured here along with two tracks from the "American Idol Season 14-Best of Jax" album. Learn more about her atwww.jaxofficialx.com and watch for her on Facebook and Twitter. If you reach out, please let her know that you heard her right here on ACP. Enjoy!  If you are looking for an easy way to support this show that won't cost you anything extra, please click through this LINK whenever you shop at Amazon. It goes a long way in keeping the lights on around here. Thank you in advance! We do not own any copyrights to the songs played on this episode. We have special permission by the artists themselves to play their music on the show for promotional purposes for the artists

NYC based singer/songwriter Brian Mackey joined me on the show for a fantastic conversation about his life and music. His various influences come through in his songs, and his writing style is very autobiographical. You can tell that he has lived every note. He is a classically trained pianist and was inspired by Bob Dylan & Jim Croce as much as Mozart & Beethoven. Brian brings it all together and has an amazing story to tell. His latest record is called "Broken Heartstrings." Two songs from that album are featured here, as well as one from his "Honest Love" EP. Be sure to check out the other songs that he has available. Learn more at www.brianmackeymusic.com. If you reach out to Brian, please let him know that you heard him here first. Enjoy! If you are looking for an easy way to support this show that won't cost you anything extra, please click through this LINK whenever you shop at Amazon. It goes a long way in keeping the lights on around here. Thank you in advance! We do not own any copyrights to

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Today's guest is Michael Wechsler! He is the Writer/Director/Producer of "Altered Minds" which is out now on VOD. It is a psychological thriller about a tormented son who makes a desperate bid to save his sanity by unearthing family secrets before his father dies. It stars Judd Hirsch, Ryan O'Nan, Jaime Ray Newman, C.S. Lee, Joseph Lyle Taylor, and Caroline Lagerfelt. We talked about how this amazing cast came together and the loc

My guest today is singer Dani Rey! We talked about her debut album "Yo!" as well as her life and inspirations. She is a proud Cuban that was raised between Washington DC and Miami. Dani recently moved to Los Angeles to focus on her music and acting career. At 17 years old, she is already a high school graduate and currently attends Penn State University World Campus. Three songs from "Yo!" are featured with this episode, including the title track. For that one, Dani teamed up with Grammy Award winning Latin artist Miguelito. After you listen, please pick up your own copy at Amazon or iTunes. Learn more at www.danireyofficial.com. If you reach out to Dani, please let her know that you heard her here first. Enjoy! If you are looking for an easy way to support this show that won't cost you anything extra, please click through this LINK whenever you shop at Amazon. It goes a long way in keeping the lights on around here. Thank you in advance! We do not own any copyrights to the songs played on this episode. We ha

Welcome to my annual Christmas episode! 2015 was an amazing year for me both personally and professionally. I want to thank all of my guests that joined me, and thank you for listening! Special thanks to my family along with Hiyori, Matt Syverson, Tim Binder, Tommy Kenny, and Cindy & Jen at LadyLake for their endless support. I had some old friends stop by for this episode and it was great to catch up with them. I also have a few instant holiday classics to share with you. They are listed below in order of appearance. If you like what you hear, please reach out to the artists through the included links. I am working on making 2016 even better, so stay tuned! Sit back and enjoy! Eryn Shewell - "Santa Baby" (http://www.erynshewell.com/) Lez Zeppelin - "Stairway to Frosty" (http://www.lezzeppelin.com/) Cliff Hillis - "Christmas Songs Tonight" (http://www.cliffhillis.com/) Shattervox - "Home for Christmas" (http://www.shattervox.com/)   We do not own any copyrights to the songs played on this episode. We hav

Today's guest needs no introduction. LAW has been on this show so many times, and each appearance is as unique as he is! No scripts, no edits, and no agendas. We just talk about whatever is on our minds and happening right now. This episode covers topics like LAW's inspiration for his dance moves and style, James Brown, and the Amy Winehouse doc. Learn more about him at https://www.facebook.com/The-Official-Fan-Page-Of-LAW-Planet-12-Productions--189013589954/ and https://twitter.com/planet12law. Please reach out to LAW and let him know how much you enjoy his appearances on my show. He will be back in 2016 with some brand new music to share!

Today's guest is UK musician Russell Sinclair! I recently called over to Plymouth to speak with him about his brand new debut album "Bought & Sold." It is a fantastic collection of songs, two of which are featured with this episode. Russell draws his inspiration from many styles of music. I first saw him online and checked out his website. I bought all of his music within minutes! He is the kind of artist that can instantly inspire you. I am also featuring songs from his Plymouth Tapes EPs so that you can discover his work at the same pace that I did. After you listen, I highly encourage you to buy the rest and support this talented singer/songwriter. He is also known for his energetic live performances. Search for him on YouTube and see what you're missing! Learn more at http://russellsinclair.co.uk/ and http://russellsinclair.bandcamp.com/. If you reach out to Russell, please let him know that you heard him here first. Enjoy! We do not own any copyrights to the songs played on this episode. We have spec

My guest today is Judy Chaikin! She is the Writer/Producer/Director of "The Girls in the Band." It is out now on DVD and VOD. I LOVED this movie. It was so exciting to have been given the opportunity to speak with Judy about it and feature her story of how the project came together. It is a documentary that details the journey of female jazz musicians from the 1930's through today. I am a huge fan of music, and thought I knew most of the highlights of 20th century musical history. I was wrong. This was an entire branch of the musical family tree that I was not aware of. The ladies featured here had to endure a career full of racism, sexism, and segregation...all while being world class musicians and entertainers. Their story may have been completely forgotten if not for the efforts of Judy and other likeminded film makers. We learn more about the past through interviews with the musicians, and a something about ourselves when we see the effect that prejudices and certain laws can have on people. To call it "c

My guest today is musician Luke Wade! Many of you know him from Season 7 of "The Voice." One of his performances caused Adam Levine to stand on his chair! We talked about his time on that hit show, as well as his life before and after the time that he spent there. Luke also told me about his recent tour and his plans to record a new album in 2016. He currently has a PledgeMusic Campaign which allows you to contribute towards the creation of the album. Learn more at http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/lukewade and visit him at his website www.lukewademusic.com. Three of Luke's songs are featured with this episode, including his cover of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" where he duets with Mia Z. If you reach out, please let Luke know how much you enjoyed his appearance on this show. Enjoy! If you are looking for an easy way to support this show that won't cost you anything extra, please click through this LINK whenever you shop at Amazon. It goes a long way in keeping the lights on around here. Thank you in adv

Today's guest is award winning singer/international model/actress Lauren Carter! She just released a brand new single called "American Dream." We talked about a number of topics including her songwriting process, traffic in LA, and navigating the waters of social media. Lauren has a Master's Degree in music and also gives voice lessons. Three of her songs are featured with this episode which will give you an idea of her many styles and vocal talents. The show starts off with her cover of "Graceless" by The National. We also get to hear "American Dream," then close out the show with a live opera classic called "Standchen." Prepare to be amazed! Learn more at www.laurencarteronline.com. If you reach out to Lauren, please let her know that you heard her here first. Enjoy! If you are looking for an easy way to support this show that won't cost you anything extra, please click through this LINK whenever you shop at Amazon. It goes a long way in keeping the lights on around here. Thank you in advance! We do not own

Singer/songwriter Olivia Millerschin returns to the show for her second appearance! She was originally featured on Episode 195 back in April of 2014. A lot has been going on since then so this was the perfect opportunity to catch up with her. We talked about her appearances on America's Got Talent, her 40 city tour that followed, and her visit to the UK. Olivia also has a PledgeMusic campaign happening now to support the creation of her new album. You can learn more about this exciting project at www.pledgemusic.com/projects/mynewrecord. Three of my favorite Olivia Millerschin songs are featured with this episode. I am looking forward to the new tracks as well. Find out more at www.oliviamillerschin.com. Please reach out to Olivia and let her know that you heard her here first. Enjoy! If you are looking for an easy way to support this show that won't cost you anything extra, please click through this LINK whenever you shop at Amazon. It goes a long way in keeping the lights on around here. Thank you in advanc

                           I recently called over to the UK to speak with singer Lydia Chase! Her debut single is called "Ultimate Drive", and it's available now. I found it online a few weeks ago and loved it immediately. Lydia told me the story and motivation behind it, and gave me a sneak peek at the title of her next single. She has been paying her dues by singing cover songs for the last 11 years, and recently decided to share her original music with the world. Lydia is off to a strong start with "Ultimate Drive." It is the kind of track that has something for everyone. I have it featured here along with her acoustic cover of "Locked Out of Heaven." You are going to love her voice! Learn more at her Facbook page (https://www.facebook.com/iamLydiaChase?_rdr=p), follow her on Twitter, and listen to more at SoundCloud. If you reach out, please let Lydia know that you heard her here first. Enjoy! If you are looking for an easy way to support this show that won't cost you anything extra, please click through

Today's featured guest is music legend Bernie Worrell! The interview is not new, as I featured it in Episode 023. That was four years ago in October of 2011. My show was very new, and it was pretty basic. There was no music, no intros & outros, and no editing at all. The format was strictly the conversation that I recorded with my guest. I have been a fan of Bernie Worrell since I was young. The fact that he agreed to be on my show so early in its run blew me away. We spent an afternoon together at a very busy diner in New Jersey. Needless to say, there was a ton of background noise on that recording. I posted it as is, and have always regretted that. The recording that I shared that day did not match the magic that I felt while I was there with Bernie. I am here today to make it right. I cleaned up the original audio, boosted the levels, and added some classic songs to complement the interview. Think of this as an "Episode 023 Remix." I couldn't knock out all of the background noise, but I believe it is

My guest today is singer/songwriter Donica Knight! She recently called me from her home in Alabama to talk about her life, influences, and brand new single called "Love ain't a Prize". It is a great song and is featured with this episode! You can buy it now at www.donicaknight.com. Look for it on Amazon, iTunes, and several other outlets around the world on November 1st, 2015. Donica spends time between Alabama and Los Angeles and had some great things to say about the differences between the two places. This interview was a lot of fun. She had me laughing through most of it! She spends a lot of time on the road and has opened for some of the biggest names in music. Her EP "Can't Buy a Southern Girl" is scheduled to be released in January of 2016. I hope to have her back on soon after so she can tell me all about it. Please reach out to Donica and let her know that you heard her here first. Enjoy! If you are looking for an easy way to support this show that won't cost you anything extra, please click through

Today's guest is musician Billy Grima! He recently called me from his home in Canada to talk about his life, music, and influences. His latest album is "Sugar & Cream", and three tracks are featured with this episode. Billy grew up in Australia and moved to Canada as a teenager. We talked about how he dealt with that transition and the differences between the two places. He also told me about his musical roots in the church choir. It is a tradition that he still practices today. Learn more about Billy at www.billygrima.com. I hope to have him on again very soon. If you reach out, please let him know that you heard him here first. Enjoy! If you are looking for an easy way to support this show that won't cost you anything extra, please click through this LINK whenever you shop at Amazon. It goes a long way in keeping the lights on around here. Thank you in advance! We do not own any copyrights to the songs played on this episode. We have special permission by the artists themselves to play their music on th

My guest today is musician Pete Thompson! He is the singer & guitarist for the UK band "The Magic Es". They just released a brand new single called "Melody Jane". It is the first of many great tracks of theirs that are coming our way over the next few months, and it is featured here today! This band delivers guitar driven pop and their influences are based on The Who, The Undertones, and The Jam to name just a few. I love this first track and can't wait to hear what's next. In addition to the band, Pete also runs "Oh Mercy! Records". He has some great artists on the label. We also talked about life in the UK and the state of the music business. Learn more at www.wearemagic.uk and their Facebook page. You can also follow the band on Twitter, and download your own copy of Melody Jane at Bandcamp. This is definitely a band to watch, and I am honored to be among the first to share them with you. If you reach out to Pete, please let him know that you heard him here. Enjoy! If you are looking for an easy way to

My guest today is Steve Butler! He is the guitarist/vocalist for the band Smash Palace. They just released their 11th album called "Some Kind of Magic". It was released by Zip Records and includes four fantastic tracks. The first single, "Haddontown", is featured here. It was great to speak with Steve about his influences, the history of the band, working with his brother Brian, and some upcoming dates. He has been in the music business for over 35 years and has had his shares of ups and downs. Not one to dwell on the past, Steve shares those highs and lows with me with one eye on the future. He was in the studio the day we spoke, and I can't wait to hear what he has in store for us. I have been a fan of Smash Palace since the mid 80's and it was cool to meet with Steve and learn so much about his musical history. Learn more at www.smashpalacemusic.com, Twitter, and Facebook. We close out the show with another new song called "My Mistake". Please reach out to Steve and let him know that you heard him here fir

My guest today is Christine Weatherup! She was born and raised in Los Angeles and has been acting professionally since she was a teenager. She joined me to talk about her starring role in the indie anti-romantic comedy "Bread and Butter". Christine's character is Amelia Karinksy. She's a 30 year old obsessed with her virginity and is struggling to navigate relationships with two men that fell for her at the same time. Christine brings equal measures of sweet, awkward, and laugh out loud funny to this part. I love this movie. The writing is smart and you can tell that the cast really clicked. It was written and directed by Liz Manashil. She did an amazing job with it! Experience it for yourself at Amazon, iTunes, and VOD. Learn more at www.breadandbuttermovie.com. Christine and I also talked about life in California, the artistic freedom of working on indie projects, and her studies at USC and the Upright Citizen's Brigade. Learn more at www.christineweatherup.com, her IMDB page, and follow her on Twitter. She

My guest today is singer/songwriter Jordan White! This is Jordan's third appearance on the show. He just released a brand new single called "Crazy Girl". It is available now and was released on Flexitone Records. Jordan told me all about it. We talked about the recording process and the inspiration for the track. It was cool to catch up with him. We also talked about navigating social media and fans using mobile devices to record concerts. Learn more about Jordan at www.jordanwhitemusic.com & www.flexitonerecords.com. He has many dates scheduled out through the end of the year and I am looking forward to seeing him again. He always puts on a great show! If you reach out to Jordan please let him know that you heard him here first. Enjoy!  If you are looking for an easy way to support this show that won't cost you anything extra, please click through this LINK whenever you shop at Amazon. It goes a long way in keeping the lights on around here. Thank you in advance! We do not own any copyrights to the so