SONG DIVING - An American Songwriter Podcast

We dive in with Andrew Farriss of INXS to talk about songs like “Need You Tonight,” “New Sensation,” and “Never Tear Us Apart,” and how those songs came together during the making of their album Kick, which went on to sell over 20 million records.Along the way, we explore the music and voices that shaped how he hears and writes songs, from The Beatles, who he saw live as a kid before they broke big, to the threatening groove of The Rolling Stones, to the complex simplicity of Simon & Garfunkel.We talk about writing with Michael Hutchence, a poet turned lyricist who started with an aversion to singing and ultimately became one of the greatest frontmen of all time.We also talk about trusting instinct over rules, and how one of their biggest hits began with an extra bar added by accident while rushing out to catch a cab.It’s a conversation about restraint, feel, and how moments you can’t plan turn into songs that last.
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We dive in with Hiss Golden Messenger to talk about songs like “Cracked Windshield,” “It Will If We Let It,” and “Heavy World” from his new album “I’m People.”Along the way, we explore the music and voices that shaped how he hears and writes songs, from Eric B. & Rakim and Low to Waylon Jennings and Curtis Mayfield.We talk about how groove became a foundation early on, writing toward the question instead of the answer, and learning to hold joy and sorrow at the same time.It’s a conversation about feel and reflection, holding two things at once, and the songs that live somewhere in between. 
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We dive in with Steve Earle, singer-songwriter known for songs like “Guitar Town,” “Copperhead Road,” and “Transcendental Blues.”Along the way, we explore the music and voices that shaped how he hears and writes songs, from Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan to Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark.

Steve talks about chasing songs across Texas and Nashville, and what he learned as a student and peer of the songwriters who set the bar.We also talk about how songs let you sing things you might not say out loud, and the storytelling, empathy, and characters behind songs like “The Devil’s Right Hand,” “Tom Ames’ Prayer,” and “John Walker’s Blues.”It’s a conversation about how a songwriter is shaped by the music around them, the rooms they find their way into, and the people who show them what’s possible.
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We dive in with José González, singer-songwriter known for songs like Crosses, Heartbeats, and Killing for Love.Along the way, we explore the music and voices that shaped how he hears and writes songs, from Silvio Rodríguez and The Beatles to Bob Marley and Simon & Garfunkel.We talk about writing across languages, finding simplicity in songmaking, and how repetition and rhythm drive his guitar playing. We also talk about his new album, including songs like A Perfect Storm.It’s a conversation about what we believe, how we see the world, and how those ideas show up in the music.
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We dive in with I’m With Her, the trio of Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan, and Sara Watkins, whose voices and playing intertwine on songs like “Overland,” “Ancient Light,” and “Mother Eagle.”Along the way, we explore the music that shaped their sound, from Joni Mitchell and Dan Fogelberg to the classic trio blend of Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt.We talk about discovering their sound while arranging John Hiatt’s “Crossing Muddy Waters,” chipping away at songs night after night on tour, and the magic of live recordings like their new album “Sing Me Alive” that capture a moment exactly as it happened.It’s a conversation about collaboration, curiosity, and the joy of three voices finding their way into something they can only create together.
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