Follow Your Dream - Music And Much More!

After more than 825 episodes, I’ve observed that many of my remarkable guests are connected by one or more common threads.

Each episode of Special Collections focuses on a particular thread that ties together some of my guests. In this episode that common thread are the Bios that I get from each artist.

Bios typically recite all of the accomplishments and awards of the artist. They're important of course. But what I'm particularly interested in are those tidbits that are a surprise. That talk about an interest or accomplishment that's off the beaten path. Something th...

Tracy Bonham is a classically trained violinist and pianist, who somehow became a very successful alternate rock singer- songwriter and she had a big hit album and single in that genre. That album was called “The Burdens of Being Upright”, and the single was called “Mother Mother”. She received two Grammy nominations for them in 1996. And she became a global star through MTV and radio airplay. And that song still resonates today. Recently it was featured in an episode of Yellowjackets — introducing it to a whole new generation. Now she’s celebrating the 30th anniversary of the album and she has re-i...

Matthew Szlachetka is a roots rock singer-songwriter. For the past five years he’s been touring more than 200 days a year. He’s got a music catalog that’s been called "road-dog roots-rockers and Americana ballads." His latest album is “Young Heart, Old Soul”. He’s appeared alongside Brandi Carlisle, Chris Isaak, and Blackberry Smoke, among others. When not on the road, Matthew has become an in-demand producer, session guitarist and writer in Nashville including for Jeff Silbar.

My featured song is “Aches and Pains", from the album Summer Of Love 2020. Spotify link.

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Alan Broadbent is an acclaimed 2x Grammy® winning jazz pianist and arranger originally from Auckland, New Zealand. He’s worked with the Woody Herman band and Charlie Haden’s Quartet West, touring and recording with them for 25 years. He won Grammys® as an arranger for Natalie Cole and Shirley Horn and has been nominated fourteen times. He arranged and performed an evening of music dedicated to Miles Davis’s compositions of the 1950s for the WDR big band. His latest work as an arranger is for a string orchestra album, “It’s Magic”, for the singer Stella Cole.

My featured...

ENCORE: Liz Callaway is a force of nature. Just listen to her accomplishments. She’s a Tony nominee and an Emmy award winning actress, singer and recording artist. She made her Broadway debut in Stephen Sondheim’s “Merrily We Roll Along”. She went on to star in “Baby” for which she earned a Tony nomination, “The Three Musketeers”, “Sunday In The Park With George”, “Evita”, “Miss Saigon” and “Cats”. She sang the Academy Award nominated song “Journey To The Past” from the animated film Anastasia. She was in the two “Aladdin” sequels, “The Swan Princess” and “Beauty And The Beast”. She’s performed concerts all around th...

ENCORE: Ann Hampton Callaway is a Musical Star and a remarkably gifted artist. She’s a leading champion of the Great American Songbook, and she’s known for her work as a singer, pianist, composer, lyricist, actress, TV host, and producer.

Her resume is off the charts. Ann was voted by Broadwayworld as “Celebrity of the Year” and two years in a row as “Best Jazz Vocalist”. On Broadway she was nominated for a Tony award for her performance in the hit musical “Swing!” On TV she was the one who wrote and sings the theme song for the hit seri...

Karen Mason is a Broadway star. A celebrated musical theatre actress and singer. Here’s just a few of her successes. She starred as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard. She originated the role of Tanya in Mamma Mia, and she starred as Velma Von Tussle in Hairspray. She’s also a cabaret performer and she has performed with a number of symphony orchestras.

My featured song is “The Buzz", one of my recent singles. Spotify link.

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Amy B. Scher is an award-winning, bestselling author of five non-fiction books, translated into more than 20 languages.  She writes and teaches on the topics of healing, human-ing, and writing. She’s recognized in particular for her work in mind-body healing. And she’s written a Young Adult novel, “The Unexpected Afterlife of Salon Rose”, which was inspired by the worst week in her life, she says. She’s been featured in Oprah Daily, The Washington Post, Good Morning America, CBS, and Cosmopolitan. And, as I like to say, now she’s really hit the big time appearing on this podcast. 

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Stevie Simkin is an author, a teacher of drama, film and literature, and also a musician. And he has a PhD in poetry. For over thirty years he has taught at the University of Winchester in the UK. His recent book, “Cultural Constructions of the Femme Fatale”, is about dangerous women. As his subtitle says: from Pandora’s Box to Amanda Knox.

My featured song is “The Pardners”. It's from the album East Side Sessions by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link.

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Bruce Forman is a Texas-born jazz guitarist, perhaps best know for his work on three of Clint Eastwood’s films including the soundtrack to “Million Dollar Baby”. He’s released 21 recordings as a leader, and played with a number of jazz luminaries including Ray Brown, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, and Bobby Hutcherson. He’s played numerous times at the Monterey Jazz Festival. And he’s got a “western bebop” band named Cow Bop.

My featured song is “The Pardners”. It's from the album East Side Sessions by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link.

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Eugene Ruffolo is an acclaimed Background and Jingle singer, and a singer/songwriter with 9 albums of his own. He's sung live and on records with artists like David Byrne, Garth Brooks, and Tony Bennett. As a songwriter he’s won first prize in several competitions. He’s done hundreds of radio and TV commercials. He’s been featured in numerous soundtracks. He’s got a passion for working with children. And he’s a 3x winner of the Parent’s Choice Award.

My featured song is “Tessa”. It's from the album East Side Sessions by my band Project Grand Sl...

Zazz is an wonderful actress, singer, and songwriter. She’s performed in theater, concert and cabaret venues. She’s appeared on Late Night with Stephen Colbert and in the HBO documentary Master Class with Bobby McFerrin, and she’s toured with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Here's how she came to be a guest.

I first came across Zazz when I interviewed Will Healy, a fabulous musician, about a year ago. One of the works that he gave me for the Songfest was a Zoom video by his group Shouthouse and it featured a terrific singer. I told him that I...

This Legends episode spotlights Chas Chandler. He’s the guy who turned Jimmy James into Jimi Hendrix. Here’s the story.

Chas Chandler was the bass player for the Animals, the ‘60s British Invasion band fronted by Eric Burdon, which had a string of hits in that era including “The House Of The Rising Sun”, “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”, “I’m Crying” and many others. They had a rougher, earthier sound than most of the other British Invasion bands. After tiring of touring nonstop with the Animals for very little money, Chandler left the band to became an artist ma...

Danny Lux is a multiple Emmy nominated television and film composer. His TV series' credits include the theme music for Sliders, Million Dollar Mysteries, Crisis Center, Profiler and Boston Legal. He’s contributed music to Grey’s Anatomy, Hacks, Ally McBeal, NYPD Blue, The Good Wife and others. His movie credits include Halloween: Resurrection and Stolen Summer. In total he’s scored over 2,300 episodes from dramas to comedies to films.

My featured song is “Studio One”. It's from the album Play by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link.

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Benjamin Kruithof is a multiple prize winning Luxembourg-born cellist. In 2025 he won the Young Artist of the Year award. He’s given recitals all over Europe including Cologne, Amsterdam, Vienna, Budapest, London and Baden-Baden. As a soloist, recent highlights include performances with the Luxembourg Philharmonic, Liechtenstein Symphony and the East-West Chamber Orchestra. In recital, he has performed at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Kings Place in London and the Salle Cortot in Paris. His Chamber music projects include an extensive tour of the Netherlands with Noa Wildschut.

My featured song is the new re-mixed, re-mastered version of “Ma Peti...

Tess Remy-Schumacher is is a Grammy® nominated cellist and producer. She’s won a whole bunch of awards including the World Entertainment Award for “Best Classical Album”, first Prize at the International Carlo-Zecchi Competition in Rome, and multiple medals at the Global Music Awards. As a concert soloist, she has recorded at Abbey Road Studios as part of the Six String Symphony with the London Symphony and recorded over 20 albums. She’s performed in Europe, Asia, Australia, and the U.S., including at Wigmore Hall in London, Jubilee Hall in Singapore, and the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles. As an educat...

Pille-Rite Rei is an Estonian jazz musician, multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter known for her deep connection to Brazilian and Latin-infused jazz. She plays Estonian bossa nova! Her work spans multiple albums and singles, blending Nordic jazz melodies with acoustic and bossa nova rhythms. She honed her vocal skills in Sweden and later won a musical award in Denmark. She then went to Brazil and collaborated there. Now she’s back based in Denmark.

My featured song is “The Gift”, one of my recent singles. Spotify link.

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This episode announces the release of the new re-mixed and re-mastered “Ma Petite Fleur String Quartet”.

The new recording has been released on St7dio - Classical, the boutique classical label owned by multiple Grammy® winner Kitt Wakeley and which is run by Allison Charney. Allison is a Grammy® nominated opera singer in her own right, and a recent guest on the podcast.

Here’s the back story.

In 2012 I wrote and recorded a jazz ballad that I called “Ma Petite Fleur” (my little flower). My ballad was an instrumental love song that I wrote for...

I believe that creativity has no expiration date. But there is another side to the story. Sometimes we watch an artist who we have loved for decades slowly fade before our eyes.

Recently I saw a ‘60s era superstar in concert. He will remain nameless for these purposes.

In my opinion, he was one of the greatest artists of the rock era. His songwriting, his guitar playing, his singing - all masterful.

Which is why seeing him recently was such a complicated experience for me.

He’s now in his eighties. Like...

Adrian Galante is an Australian-born jazz multi-instrumentalist, arranger and composer who plays the piano and the clarinet. His debut album, “Introducing Adrian Galante”, was released last year and features pianist Tamir Hendelman and drummer Joe LaBarbera, both of whom have been guests on this podcast.

My featured song is “Mi Cachimber”, one of my recent singles. Spotify link.

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Mitch Marcus is a director and screenwriter for movies and television. He started out working on film crews on movies like 'Stand By Me" and "Field of Dreams".  In 1995, his film “A Boy Called Hate", about the youth culture of guns, received a prize at the Berlin International Film Festival.  He’s worked as a director for hire on several feature length movies.  He’s filmed two feature length documentaries. In television, he produced and directed non-fiction television for A&E, History, Travel, Discovery, Sundance and others - most recently Executive Producing the series, "The Unexplained with William Shatner”. He recently...

Jhoely Garay is a Mexican-born jazz guitarist, composer, and arranger and the leader of the Jhoely Garay Jazz Orchestra. She combines classic and contemporary jazz with Latin rhythms. And like me, she likes to write message songs about subjects like the climate, and also about untold or hidden histories left out of official narratives. She’s become an important part of the jazz scene in New York and Mexico. She’s performed at major venues including Carnegie Hall, The National Jazz Museum in Harlem, and The MET Museum. And she won five Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation awards.

My f...

Jason SweetTooth Williams is a singer, an actor and a writer. He’s performed in cabaret, on TV, in films and on Broadway. He was in the Broadway musical “Be More Chill”, and regionally and Off Broadway in “Freaky Friday”, “Benny and Joon”, “Bloodsong of Love”, “The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S Thompson Musical” and “Once Upon a Mattress”. And he’s an original member of Joe Iconis and Family. On screen he appeared in “WeCrashed” and in episodes of “Only Murders in the Building”, “BULL”, “FBI”, “The Marvelous Mrs Masiel” and “American Horror Stories”. 

My featured song is “The Buzz”, my latest single. Spotify link.

Ana Petrova is a jazz pianist and organist from Kazakhstan. Her playing is a combination of improvisation, groove, and jazz traditions. She studied at Berklee with Danilo Pérez, John Patitucci, and Joe Lovano. She’s shared the stage with Dave Liebman, Catherine Russell, and Terri Lyne Carrington, among others. She’s performed at clubs like Dizzy’s and The Bitter End, and at festivals like the Umbria, Panama, and Monterey Jazz Festivals.

My featured song is “Trippin”, from the album of the same name. Spotify link.

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After more than 800 episodes, I’ve observed that many of my remarkable guests are connected by one or more common threads.

Each episode of Special Collections focuses on a particular thread that ties together some of my guests.

In this episode, that common thread is poetry.

This episode features five remarkable, world-class poets who have expanded the range of artistic expression featured on this podcast.

When I started this podcast just over five years ago, as a musician myself, I focused primarily on great musicians as my guests. But as those gu...

Ed Hinman is an author who says that he likes to explore open fields where violent things happened a thousand years ago. He’s a graduate of the US Naval Academy, and he served eight years in the Marine Corps including a deployment in Afghanistan. He earned a master’s degree in history, and he’s spent his post-military career as a bodyguard at a security firm. He’s now about to publish his first book, called "The Barbarian in You". If I have this right, it’s about listening to the ancient, primal, authentic you, as it nudges you toward...

Eric Oberstein is a Cuban-American 2x Grammy®  and 2x Latin Grammy® -winning producer, curator, artist manager, arts administrator, and educator. He runs an artist management and producing company, and an arts management consultancy that produces programming and advises cultural organizations on strategy. Two of his clients are Claudia Acuna and Kali Rodriguez-Pena, both of whom have been guests on this podcast. Eric has served as Managing Director of Harlem Stage; a Director of Duke Performances at Duke University; and Executive Director of the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance. He is also an educator. On top of all this he’s a sax...

Allison Philips is a Brooklyn-based trumpet player, composer, and educator. She’s led a trio and a quartet, and she’s co-led the DeiCont | Philips Collective. She’s toured throughout the U.S., Europe and Canada. She is a member of the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra which has performed with The Jonas Brothers and Yo La Tengo among others. She’s appeared at Carnegie Hall, Birdland, and The North Sea Jazz Festival, among others.

My featured song is “The Rich Ones”, one of my recent singles. Spotify link.

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Steven Pressfield is the author of over twenty books of fiction and nonfiction. Two themes emerge from his writings: self-help and creativity, and historical fiction and war. He wrote “The Legend of Bagger Vance”, which in 2000 was made into a major motion picture directed by Robert Redford and starring Will Smith, Matt Damon and Charlize Theron. He also wrote “Gates of Fire”, and “The Virtues of War” among others. “The War Of Art” focuses on procrastination. His works are widely read in military, creative, and leadership communities for their insights into discipline, resistance, and courage. He’s a former Marine and a longt...

Hi everybody. Robert Miller here with another Follow Your Dream Reflection — observations drawn from my many conversations with remarkable creative artists.

One of the hallmarks of my podcast interviews is that they are completely free-form. While I study each guest, read their bio, and do my due diligence on their art, I don’t script the interview. I don’t write down questions in advance. At most, I may jot down a few topics I’d like to discuss.

And I usually avoid speaking with my guests before the interview, because I want the conversation to feel...

Allison Charney is a Grammy® nominated soprano opera singer. She has performed dozens of leading roles with opera companies across the United States. she’s been a soloist with major orchestras, and she has recorded worldwide. She made her debut at the New York City Opera in La Bohème. She also sung Puccini’s Madam Butterfly and Tosca. She has sung Mozart’s Figaro and Don Giovanni. Other performances include Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffmann, Die Fledermaus, Carmen, La Traviata and The Merry Widow. She has performed with the Atlanta Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Utah Opera, Nashville Opera, and Opera...

Jeremy Ledbetter is a JUNO Award-winning Canadian pianist, composer, and producer known for his fusion of jazz and world music. He was trained as a classical pianist, but he switched to jazz and spent over a decade travelling to Trinidad, Cuba, Brazil, and Venezuela to study local musical cultures. He’s released two albums with his trio. He’s also the leader and composer for the Caribbean Jazz ensemble CaneFire. And he works with OKAN, the terrific duo who has been on this podcast

My featured song is “Mi Cachimber All Stars”, my recent single. Spotify link.

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Ludovica Burtone is a violinist and composer. Her music spans an eclectic range of styles and genres including classical, jazz, Brazilian, and contemporary. She has performed worldwide as a soloist, chamber musician, and collaborator in numerous ensembles. And at venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Radio City, Boston Symphony Hall, and Boston Opera House among others. Her latest project, “Migration Tales”, explores the stories of immigrant women in New York City through original compositions. Recent highlights include performing at the Notorious B.I.G. Tribute at Lincoln Center.

My featured song is “The Gift”, my recent single that tra...

Today is a very special day on the podcast. It’s Satchmo day! Or as you may know him - Louis Armstrong day! For anyone who doesn’t know him, Louis Armstrong was simply one of the greatest American artists ever. And my guest to celebrate this occasion is Ricky Riccardi. He is the Director of Research Collections for the Louis Armstrong House Museum. Ricky has written three critically-acclaimed biographies of Louis Armstrong and is a two-time Grammy winner in the "Best Album Notes" category. He’s produced numerous Louis Armstrong reissues, served as a Consulting Producer on the docume...

In Robert Frost’s famous poem, called “The Road Not Taken”, a traveler comes to a fork in the road and must choose between two paths.

The poem is really about life’s crossroads—those moments when we must choose between the expected path and one that is uncertain, unconventional, and uniquely our own.

My life has been about pursuing that second path.

Like most people, I spent much of my adult life raising a family, building a career, and meeting the responsibilities that come with adulthood.

My youthful dream of becoming a...

Jennifer Ashley Tepper is a theater historian, author and producer. She conceived of The Jonathan Larson Project. He’s the guy who wrote Rent. She’s been the longtime Creative and Programming Director at 54 Below, the iconic New York City cabaret club. She’s curated or produced over 8,000 shows. As an author her latest book is “Women Writing Musicals: The Legacy that the History Books Left Out”, about female musical theatre writers. She’s also the author of "The Untold Stories of Broadway", and the creator of the "If It Only Even Runs A Minute" concert series. She produced the musical...

Gentiane MG is a fabulous Montreal-based pianist and composer who combines jazz and classical. Her music explores human connection, emotional depth, and the quiet relationship between inner life and the natural world. She’s toured with her trio extensively across Canada and Europe and she’s earned major honours including OPUS Awards, Radio Canada recognition, and JUNO nominations. Her latest album is called “Can You Hear the Birds?”

My featured song is my reimagined cover of Chick Corea’s “Sea Journey”, from the album Play by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link.

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The Follow You...

Kevin Kiner is an Annie Award and BMI award winning, and Emmy nominated, TV and film composer. He’s one of the entertainment industry's most versatile and in-demand composers. He scored several Star Wars movies. He’s work on shows like CSI: Miami, Narcos and Walker, Texas Ranger. He’s recognized for his ability to craft intimate, soulful guitar melodies as well as epic and grand orchestral compositions.

My featured song is “Rough Rider”, from the album What’s Up by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link.

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David Maraniss is a Pulitzer Prize winner and a 3x Pulitzer Prize finalist. He’s also the former associate editor for the Washington Post. And he is the author of numerous books, ranging from politics to sports, including head coach Vince Lombardi of the Green Bay Packers, American hero Jim Thorpe, Baseball Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente, the 1960 Rome Summer Olympics, the Vietnam War, and U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

My featured song is “Spring Dance”, from the album of the same name by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link.

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Rochelle Rice is a singer and composer who blends jazz, soul, and pop. Take it from me - her singing is simply sublime. Since 2016 she’s been a member of Sweet Honey in the Rock. They are a 3x Grammy nominated, all female, African American a cappella ensemble. She’s performed at The Kennedy Center and Blues Alley among many other venues. She’s an advocate for social justice. Her latest project, “Tell Her This”, is a blend of podcasting, visual art, and live music that celebrates the voices and wisdom of women.

My featured song is “The Buzz”, m...