More Than Musicians

Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/more_than_musicians/
S1 E18 | Lost His Daughter. Here’s What He Found | Jon Schmidt
What do you do when life turns upside down?
In this episode, Sarah sits down with Jon Schmidt — pianist, composer, and founding member of The Piano Guys — for a deeply personal conversation about faith, loss, and finding hope in the hardest seasons of life.
Jon shares the story behind iconic pieces like "All of Me," the miracle-filled and setback-riddled path to Piano Guys fame, the tragic loss of his daughter Annie, and how he and his wife Michelle have continued to trust God through each new trial, including the difficult health season Michelle is currently walking through.

His message is practical, personal, and powerful: make a prayer list, turn quickly to God in the small things and the big ones, and trust that tribulation leads to hope.

Jon Schmidt is a pianist, composer, and co-founder of The Piano Guys, whose music has reached billions across the globe. He is a husband, father, and man of deep faith whose life story is a testament to the power of partnership, humility, and choosing contentment over fame.
0:00 - Jon's Family and Faith
9:04 - Turning His Life Over to God
15:22 - Praying Through Writer's Block
24:32 - The Power of Prayer Lists
29:50 - Trusting God in Small Things
31:15 - Finding Strength in Christ
37:00 - How the Piano Guys Began
50:06 - Piano Place Ad
55:55 - Music's Power to Heal
58:04 - Annie's Song Moment
1:03:48 - The Promise of Resurrection
1:07:21 - Michelle's Role in His Music
1:12:45 - Why Learning Piano Matters

CONNECT WITH JON:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepianoguysjonschmidt/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jonschmidtmusic
Website: thepianoguys.com

CONNECT WITH SARAH DAVIES
Instagram: @more_than_musicians and @sarah.t.davies
TikTok: @more_than_musicians
Facebook: @more_than_musicians

LISTEN OR SUBSCRIBE
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/more-than-musicians/id1584874236
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4EYojMS3Ns9cHXVLE6IhVc?si=43cc8fc8c86542ca
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@More_Than_Musicians

PRODUCTION CREDITS
This show is made possible byThe Piano Place: https://thepianoplaceutah.com/One Music Schools: https://onemusicschools.com/

Production by Talmage Thayne with FilmLaab
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talmagethayne/
Website: https://www.filmlaab.com/

HAVE A GREAT GUEST IN MIND? TELL US HEREhttps://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfG_Zp-4MoxFijfgAHuGmsXHEso-9v1-hg6n8CbghelJ2zelA/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=106212904550005997752

If this episode moved you, please share it. Thank you for listening and we will see you next time for another episode of More Than Musicians.

A Message for Every Woman - “Come In”

What does it mean to truly know who you are — not who the world says you are, but who you were created to be? 

In this episode, Sarah sits down with her lifelong friend Lexi Ogden Walbeck for a deeply personal conversation about identity, comparison, and the quiet crisis that so many women carry alone. Together they walk through the three stages of womanhood — maiden, mother, and matriarch, a framework drawn from the work of Elle Rowley — and explore why each transition can feel so disorienting, and how returning to your divine identity is always the way back. Whether you are a young woman still discovering yourself, a mother in the thick of it, or a grandmother carrying decades of hard-won wisdom, this episode was made for you.

Lexi Ogden Walbeck is a wife, mother of four, and co-creator of the True Millennial platform alongside her husband Parker. Known for her gift of encouragement and her deep faith, Lexi brings warmth, honesty, and hard-earned wisdom to every conversation she enters. Her original poem "Come In" — which opens this episode — serves as an anthem and an invitation for women everywhere to remember who they are, link arms with the women around them, and step fully into the life they were foreordained to live.

Musicians: Lauryn Judd, Mia Judd, Sydney Strong

Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/more_than_musicians/

S1 E16 | From Encanto to Real Life: Adassa’s Story of Faith and Resilience

In this episode, we sit down with Adassa—best known as the voice of Dolores in Disney’s Encanto—to talk about faith, identity, and what it really takes to stay true to your values in a world that often pressures you to compromise. Adassa shares powerful moments from her journey, including hitting rock bottom, learning to trust God through uncertainty, and discovering that our hardest seasons may actually be the turning points in our story. This conversation explores resilience, motherhood, listening for guidance, and why success doesn’t have to come at the cost of who you are.
Adassa is a Billboard-charting, Grammy-nominated artist and actress, widely recognized for her role in Encanto and the global hit “We Don’t Talk About Bruno.” Beyond her music career, she is a mother of seven and a passionate advocate for faith-centered living, using her story to inspire others to find purpose, healing, and strength through life’s challenges.

Soul Filled Music Foundation: https://soulfillmusic.org/

CONNECT WITH ADASSA
Instagram: @adassaoficial
TikTok: @adassaoficial
X: @adassaoficial
Facebook: @adassa 
Website: https://www.adassa-official.com/

CONNECT WITH SARAH DAVIES
Instagram: @more_than_musicians and @sarah.t.davies
TikTok: @more_than_musicians
Facebook: @more_than_musicians

LISTEN OR SUBSCRIBE
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/more-than-musicians/id1584874236
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4EYojMS3Ns9cHXVLE6IhVc?si=43cc8fc8c86542ca
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@More_Than_Musicians

PRODUCTION CREDITS
This show is made possible by
The Piano Place: https://thepianoplaceutah.com/
One Music Schools: https://onemusicschools.com/

Production by Talmage Thayne with Film Laab
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talmagethayne/
Website: https://www.filmlaab.com/

HAVE A GREAT GUEST IN MIND? TELL US HERE
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfG_Zp-4MoxFijfgAHuGmsXHEso-9v1-hg6n8CbghelJ2zelA/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=106212904550005997752
If this episode moved you, please share it. Thank you for listening and we will see you next time for another episode of More Than Musicians.

Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/more_than_musicians/

S1 E15 | A Journey of Motherhood, Music, and Faith

Jenny Oaks Baker has built a world-class music career—but her mission has always been bigger than music.
In this episode, she shares how faith, family, and a commitment to excellence have shaped her journey as a violinist, mother, and creator. From raising musical children to using performance as a form of ministry, Jenny offers a powerful perspective on what it really means to live a meaningful musical life.

SoulFill Music Foundation: https://soulfillmusic.org/

CONNECT WITH JENNY
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennyoaksbaker/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennyoaksbaker
Website: https://www.jennyoaksbaker.com/

CONNECT WITH SARAH DAVIES
Instagram: @more_than_musicians and @sarah.t.davies
TikTok: @more_than_musicians
Facebook: @more_than_musicians

LISTEN OR SUBSCRIBE
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/more-than-musicians/id1584874236
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4EYojMS3Ns9cHXVLE6IhVc?si=43cc8fc8c86542ca
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@More_Than_Musicians

PRODUCTION CREDITS
This show is made possible by
The Piano Place: https://thepianoplaceutah.com/
One Music Schools: https://onemusicschools.com/
Production by Talmage Thayne with FilmLaab
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talmagethayne/
Website: https://www.filmlaab.com/

HAVE A GREAT GUEST IN MIND? TELL US HERE
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfG_Zp-4MoxFijfgAHuGmsXHEso-9v1-hg6n8CbghelJ2zelA/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=106212904550005997752

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it. It helps us grow! Thank you for listening and we will see you next time for another episode of More Than Musicians.

Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/more_than_musicians/
The Art of Playing, Not Perfecting Music
“Music to me isn't just notes. It's emotions. It's deep feelings. It's the space between the words. Music is not what I do for a living. It's who I am.”
In this episode of More Than Musicians, Sarah sits down with Emmy Award-winning and Grammy-nominated composer Kurt Bestor. He is the creative force behind some of the most beloved music in film, television, and holiday traditions.
From a childhood moment where his mother asked him to “play a sunrise,” to conducting at the Olympic Games, Kurt shares the journey that shaped not just his career, but his identity as an artist.
This conversation goes far beyond music.
We talk about:
Why music is meant to be felt, not perfected

The difference between the craft and the art of music

Taking leaps before you feel ready

How collaboration, failure, and fear shape true creativity

Why “playing” music might be the most important thing we’ve lost

Kurt’s perspective is a powerful reminder that music isn’t just something we do—it’s something that connects us at the deepest human level.
If you’ve ever felt pressure to be perfect… this episode will change the way you think about music—and maybe even yourself.

Listen to "Belle La Vie" https://open.spotify.com/track/6GnGyYfFF9urSHz7mGgo64?si=4f27459953d64334

CONNECT WITH KURT
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kbestor/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KurtBestor2/
Website: https://www.kurtbestor.com/bio

CONNECT WITH SARAH DAVIES
Instagram: @more_than_musicians and @sarah.t.davies
TikTok: @more_than_musicians
Facebook: @more_than_musicians

LISTEN OR SUBSCRIBE
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/more-than-musicians/id1584874236
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4EYojMS3Ns9cHXVLE6IhVc?si=43cc8fc8c86542ca
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@More_Than_Musicians

PRODUCTION CREDITS
This show is made possible by
The Piano Place: https://thepianoplaceutah.com/
One Music Schools: https://onemusicschools.com/
Production by Talmage Thayne with FilmLaab
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talmagethayne/
Website: https://www.filmlaab.com/

HAVE A GREAT GUEST IN MIND? TELL US HERE
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfG_Zp-4MoxFijfgAHuGmsXHEso-9v1-hg6n8CbghelJ2zelA/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=106212904550005997752

If this episode moved you, please share it. Thank you for listening and we will see you next time for another episode of More Than Musicians.