Pursuing the Muse

Today on Pursuing the Muse, we are in conversation with Nashville native, Gabe Lee!

Gabe is an award-winning songwriter, recently named Saving Country Music’s 2023 Album of the Year winner for Drink The River. Known for crafting songs that blend country, folk, and rock, Lee is celebrated as a versatile performer and profound storyteller.

Stay tuned to hear Gabe reveal the working title of his next album. He details the unique experience of recording it in a haunted mansion in West Virginia. And he explains why heartbreak is an incredible motivator for any songwriter. So wi...

Welcome back to Pursuing the Muse! Jon Nolan is back for his second appearance on the podcast. We are diving deep into his fantastic new album, Slow Cooker.

Jon hails from Newmarket, New Hampshire, aka "Shoe Town". He is a seasoned musician, having co-fronted Say ZuZu with Cliff Murphy as well as taking the reigns with his own band, Good Company. 

Stay tuned as Jon reveals the raw, emotional story behind the track "Someone's in the driveway," inspired by an end-of-life request from an old acquaintance. You'll also learn h...

Welcome back to Pursuing the Muse. I’m Tom Compton, and today we’re talking the recent vinyl release of the Yayhoos two albums with half the members of the band: Terry Anderson and Eric Ambel. The Yayhoos are a roots-rock supergroup, featuring former Georgia Satellites frontman Dan Baird, Eric Ambel of The Del-Lords, Terry Anderson of the Olympic Ass Kickin Team and bassist extradoinaire Keith Christopher. They are known for their loud, unapologetically ragged rock sound. 

Coming up you'll hear the chaotic story of recording their debut album, Fear Not the Obvious, live to eight-track in a Nor...

Welcome back to Pursuing the Muse! I’m Tom Compton, and we are kicking off season four strong with a special guest, welcoming Grammy Award-winning musician, songwriter, and producer Buick Audra. 

She's a Nashville resident, her fourth solo record, ADULT CHILD, is a strikingly personal concept album released in June 2025. She is also the guitarist and primary songwriter in the melodic heavy duo, Friendship Commanders, who just released their album BEAR this fall.

Buick dives deep into the strikingly personal Adult Child album, telling us the profound meaning behind the refrain, "Can I slow it dow...

We're shutting down season three with a return of two of the season's great guests, Mike Delevante and Tim Fitzgerald. We're inventing a new genre of Chicago Nash Jazz Rock. Listen in for talk of singing harmonies, playing overseas, Hammond organs and all that AI can't replicate.

The show notes have fact checked that Sha Na Na did perform at the Woodstock festival as claimed by Mike Delevante.

Get Mike's new record, "September Days" at his website: https://mikedelevante.com

Get Tim's Wes Montgomery steeped release "Full...

This week, Pursuing the Muse declares "The thrill is not gone" because we're thrilled to feature blues phenom D.K. Harrell.

At just 27, this Award-winning guitarist and vocalist is recognized as a leading light of the younger generation of blues artists. His new Alligator Records debut album, Talkin' Heavy, showcases his powerful original songs and unique sound, cementing his place among leading voices in blues.

In our conversation, D.K. reveals how B.B. King literally taught him to talk when he was two years old, his commitment to writing modern, original blues lyrics that...

This week, Pursuing the Muse is excited to feature Scottish-born, Texas-raised, and Nashville-based country singer-songwriter Callum Kerr. Beyond his music, Callum is an accomplished actor, having starred in 13 films and TV series, including hit Netflix shows like Virgin River and One Piece. He's just released his debut EP, 'Roots Under Me'.

In our chat, Callum shares about his Grand Ole Opry debut, the unique experience of recording his album's vocals in South Africa, and how his acting career sparked his serious pursuit of country music. Listen in for an insightful conversation!

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Welcome to Pursuing the Muse!

Today, we're joined by Lucy Kaplansky, a New York folk singer-songwriter who took a detour as a psychologist, before returning to music with acclaimed solo albums and supergroups such as Cry Cry Cry.

Lucy and I discuss her new career retrospective album, "The Lucy Story," her unique songwriting process, co-writing with her husband, and the emotional impact of songs like "Last Days of Summer" and "Ten Year Night".

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This week on Pursuing the Muse we're joined by the talented Jessica Willis Fisher.

Jessica is a Nashville based singer-songwriter and fiddle player. She has an acclaimed new album out now called "Blooming" which is the follow up to her debut "Brand New Day". She is also the author of the powerful memoir, "Unspeakable", which chronicles the domestic abuse of her childhood.

In our conversation, we discuss her unique artistic journey, the profound inspirations behind her music, and how she uses her voice to speak truth and help others.  

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Welcome to Pursuing the Muse! Today, we're excited to bring you an in-depth conversation with a true master of the blues, the legendary Larry McCray. Get ready to dive deep into his musical journey and the creative process behind his compelling new album.

Larry McCray is an acclaimed American blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter, originally from Magnolia, Arkansas. He learned guitar from his older sister, Clara, and was heavily influenced by the "three Kings" (B.B., Freddie, and Albert), developing a unique style that brings a fresh perspective to the blues. His latest album, "Heartbreak City" showcases...

Get ready for a deep dive into the mind of Dustin Lowman! In the latest episode of Pursuing the Muse, Tom Compton sits down with singer-songwriter Dustin Lowman to discuss his captivating album, "Invulnerable,".

Dustin Lowman is a singer-songwriter residing in the greater New York City area, drawing inspiration from masters like Bob Dylan. He released his album "Invulnerable" in late 2024, following EPs such as "Carnivalesque" and "Folk Songs". Lowman views songwriting as an inner sanctum where he converts the chaos from life into something constructive

In the interview, Dustin shares the fascinating concept behind...

Pursuing the Muse is back. This episode, we're featuring jazz guitar virtuoso Tim Fitzgerald. Tim and Tom go way back, so Tom can vouch for the fact that Tim's journey is incredible. He transitioned from studying physics to music mastery, learning the rules and how to break them from Barry Harris and Rodney Jones. Tim's now a scholar of Wes Montgomery and has released the acclaimed 'Full House' album, which reimagines Wes's iconic solos. Stay tuned for an inspiring conversation.

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Find out more about Tim Fitzgerald:

https://www.timfitzgeraldmusic...

In this episode we're fortunate to have Nashville musician Mike Delevante join us. His new album, September Days, is in contention for record of the year. It boasts a timeless quality with jangly 12 string electric guitars and it offers a deeply personal feel. Notably, this marks Mike's first album of entirely self-written songs. It's a significant solo debut after years of making music with his older brother in the Delevantes. Get ready to delve into the creative journey behind Mike's remarkable new record, September Days.

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Find out more about Mike:

In this episode, host Tom Compton talks with Eric Ambel, who truly embodies the word versatile in his work as a musician, producer, and even venue owner at one point. Eric says his many musical roles enhance each other. With a career spanning decades, Eric Ambel was a founding member of iconic bands like Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, The Del Lords and the Yayhoos. 25 years ago, Eric co-founded Cowboy Technical Services, a recording studio which has flourished, finding him to be highly sought after for his production skills. In this episode, we delve into his deep insights as...

Pursuing the Muse is back for season 3! In this episode, host Tom Compton sits down with singer-songwriter Jon Muq, whose debut album, Flying Away, was widely acclaimed. On Jon's journey from Uganda to Texas, Jon learned to craft vital, joyful songs that are very much needed in our world today. The discussion explores his new single "Hear My Voice" and the creation of his album, produced by Dan Auerbach. Jon shares profound insights into his optimistic worldview and unique approach to challenges, which fuels the celebration present in his music. He also talks about plans for a second album...

Announcement that Pursuing the Muse returns for season 3 starting on June 17th

Nancy Abrams joins Pursuing the Muse this week to discuss the original music that she releases on her Substack, the Philosophical Cabaret. After a career in philosophy, law and as an author, she is devoting time to sharing her music in a cabaret format, to provoke and to invite discussion. Nancy shares great insights from her breadth of experience, on how she writes and the importance of music itself as a means of sharing art as a gift to the world. Learn more about Nancy and follow her Substack at... https://nancyellenabrams.substack.com/

Scott Low comes on the podcast this week and talks about his take on songwriting. Scott, a true scholar of music, takes a deep dive on not just how he has evolved with various genres of music over the decades, but he also goes into how popular music has evolved over the last century. He is an avid fisherman and also has insights how songwriting and fishing have many similarities. He talks about how experience hones the songwriter. As Scott says at one point, "in order to convey feeling to the audience, you have to go through the sh*t" ...

Mike Felten joins Pursuing the Muse to talk about his long career playing the Chicago music scene, playing his original brand of rock and roll with a folk and blues twist. He talks about starting out writing songs in his bedroom and growing from there. All while owning and operating multiple locations of Record Emporium in Chicago and Michigan. Learn more about Mike at his official website... https://mikefelten.com

Alice Peacock joins the show this week to talk about her career as a singer songwriter, how her creative process works and gives an update on what's coming down the pike. Alice has a joyous enthusiasm that is contagious. She has an amazing talent for writing songs that are smart, catchy and authentically vulnerable. Learn more about Alice at... https://www.alicepeacock.com/ https://www.instagram.com/alicepeacockmusic

Joel Corelitz joins the show this week. Joel is a composer and sound designer who has worked in the video game industry for over a decade. He has composed for major franchises like Halo and Mortal Kombat, in addition to voluminous indie game projects. Out of college Joel worked on commercials, as well as, installations for live events alongside prestigious firms such as Leviathan. Joel also works as an adjunct professor at Columbia College teaching courses about composing for video games. Joel has been a part of every episode of the podcast as he is the composer of the shows...

Jon Nolan, one of the co-frontmen of Say Zuzu, is here to kick off season two of Pursuing the Muse. Jon saw Say Zuzu rise on the 90's alt rock/country scene. In 2003 the band broke up and went their separate ways. Jon put out a few records as a solo artist. In 2019 New West Records approached the band about getting back together. And they did to great results with one of the best albums os 2023, "No Time To Lose". Jon gives amazing insights to the process of creating songs and I can't think of a better discussion to begin...

We've made it to the end of season one of Pursuing the Muse. I invited Terry Anderson back on to help wrap things up. The timing was great because Terry has a new record out now, Got to Be Strong! It's so good! Get it at the Bandcamp link below. This season has been a treat for me with all the insights I've gained from some of the best songwriters out there today. And I encourage you, the listener, to do your own song creation if you have even the slightest inkling., the tiniest song idea in your head. We...

Nick Dittmeier joins the show to talk about his most recent records, how he got started writing songs, and what lies ahead without a 5 year plan. 6 months at best. Check out Nick at: https://nickdittmeier.com/ https://nickdittmeier.bandcamp.com/merch

Nathan Graham joins me on this episode of Pursuing the Muse. We talk about his fantastic new album "Saint of Second Chances". We delve into the story arc the record has. We discuss Nathan's range of influences including being influenced by movies. Nathan also reveals just how many voice memos he has on his phone. Check out Nathan here: https://www.nathangrahammusic.com/ https://nathangraham.bandcamp.com/ Pursuing the Muse theme is "Iron Rails" by Joel Corelitz

Terry Anderson is this week's guest on Pursuing the Muse. Terry talks about how he got started from thwacking a belt on Muleskinner Blues as a boy to having top 40 hits that bring in royalty checks to this day. We talk about how his weird instrument tunings inspire songs, as well as how thinks about music 23 hours a day. The only thing Terry doesn't share is the name of the only box wine on the market that is good. He doesn't want everyone running out and buying it up Check out Terry Anderson at: https://terryandersonandtheolympicasskickinteam.bandcamp.com/ https://www...

Steve Dawson is on this episode of "Pursuing the Muse". Steve talks about his career, his start writing songs, his experience teaching songwriting at the Old Town School of Folk Music, the songwriting book he co-authored "Take It to the Bridge", and he steps through one of the songs off his most recent album, "At the Bottom of a Canyon In the Branches of a Tree". Steve has new music coming June 2024! Check out Steve at Official website: https://stevedawsonmusic.com/ Bandcamp: https://stevedawson.bandcamp.com/ Buy the book: https://www.amazon.com/Take-Bridge-Unlocking-Great-Inside/dp/1622772113 Pursuing the Muse theme song...

Jon Danforth is here for episode 2 of Pursuing the Muse. We talk about Jon's songwriting process, how he came to love country music, the impact music has on culture, the wacky direction AI is going in music, and a whole slew of other stuff. Check out Jon's music at: https://jondanforth.com https://jondanforth.bandcamp.com/ Social media: @jonmdanforth Pursuing the Muse theme song by Joel Corelitz, "Neon Rails".

Welcome to season one of Pursuing the Muse a podcast about songwriting. I'll be talking to musicians about what they do and how they do it with the craft of making songs. Today, from just outside the Mississippi delta, I'm happy to bring you an interview with Andrew Bryant. He is a founding member of the Water Liars, as well as, an accomplished solo artist. His latest offering, "Prodigal," is a homecoming of sorts, a return to the roots that nourished his music. He explores the faith of where he grew up, the friends that have come and gone, along...

Season One introduction episode for Pursuing the Muse