Studio Musician Academy
Studio Musician Academy
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Top 10 Studio Musician Academy Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Studio Musician Academy episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Studio Musician Academy for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Studio Musician Academy episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Dylan Wissing- Drummer (Alicia Keys, Drake, Jay Z, Kanye West)
Studio Musician Academy
07/05/23 • 38 min
Today's guest is Dylan Wissing!
Dylan is an in demand session drummer, studio owner, and educator. The New York Times applauded Dylan as “a musicians white whale.” We definitely agree and are honored to have been able to catch him for this incredible interview.
Dylan’s work can be heard on records for artists including John Legend, Alicia Keys, Drake, Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Eminem to name a few. A student of chasing down the perfect sound, Dylan has put his sonic stamp on sample packs for companies like Native Instruments, Cymatics, and Soundtrap.
In this interview, we discuss the power of mentorship and share stories from Dylan’s work with his first drum mentor, the legendary Kenny Aronoff. We explore lessons learned on the stage during Dylan’s time as the founder of ska band, Johnny Socko, unpack the breakthrough moments in his transition into a session drummer, and dive deep into the technical and creative approaches Dylan has mastered over the past three decades of work as a professional drummer, and explore what it takes to build an maintain a drum overdub recording facility.
We are blessed to have Dylan join us for the special edition of the Studio Musician Academy Podcast, live from the Namm Show in Anaheim CA. Lets dive in!
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Steve Mackey- Bassist (Luke Combs, Dolly Parton, The Wallflowers)
Studio Musician Academy
04/10/23 • 43 min
Today’s guest is Steve Mackey! Steve has been holding down the low end as a mainstay session player for over two decades. He comfortably floats between genres having supported artists like Luke Combs, Indie Aria, Lucinda Williams, The Wallflowers, Delbert McClinton, and Dolly Parton. Mackey is an ACM Bass Player of the year nominee, and has been featured in the house bands for Bonnaroo Super Jam, CMA Fest, and The NSAI Songwriter hall of fame.
Steve is the bass playing version of a champion race horse. He discovered his passion, put blinders on and played one note in front of the other through an amazing journey to the metaphorical finish line of success in the recording industry.
In this episode we unpack the twists and turns of navigating the roller coaster ride of a music career. Mackey breaks down his creative mindset when approaching a session and dives deep into developing the skill sets that can keep a musicians name at the top of a producers call list. He believes being a great session player means having the instincts to get the job done, while bringing something fresh to the table, and I can say he absolutely nailed that in our conversation as well. Without further ramblings, lets get to the show!
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Adam Shoenfeld- Guitarist (Big & Rich, Jason Aldean, Tim McGraw)
Studio Musician Academy
03/16/23 • 80 min
Today's guest is Adam Shoenfeld! Adam’s double decade, career journey has had stops in every landmark of the industry. As a first call session guitar player, touring sideman, hit songwriter, and producer, Adam has been tapped by artists like Big & Rich, Tim McGraw, Jason Aldean, Luke Combs, Jimmie Allen, and countless others.
Adam is a 7 time ACM guitar player of the year nominee. His playing can be heard on over 45 #1 songs, and he has co-written songs for Jason Aldean, Big & Rich, and Faith Hill. If all that hasn’t kept him busy enough, Adam has kept his creative exploration fresh with his bands Digital Brains and SunKat, as well as his most recent solo record entitled All The Birds Sing.
Adam made the pilgrimage from New Jersey to Nashville after graduating high school, and landed a gig at the legendary Woodland Studios. It was here that he honed the nuanced craft of making records by utilizing the studio after hours, and was eventually brought on as a house musician for demo sessions. As the story often goes, one gig led to another and eventually, Adam was on the top of the list for session and tours at the highest level.
Someone once said, “Nashville is full of good musicians, but there’s always room for one more great one.” Adam’s story is a testament to the opportunities that await those who put in the work and stay the course. We are honored to have the opportunity to explore Adam’s incredible career and share the lessons he’s learned along the way. Here we go!
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Derek Wells- Guitarist (Dolly Parton, Kenny Chesney, Maren Morris)
Studio Musician Academy
01/20/23 • 48 min
Today’s guest is Derek Wells!
We’d typically start this episode intro with a description of our guests occupation, but there isn’t a box big enough to fit Derek’s career into. He’s literally checked all of them. As a first call session guitar player, bandleader, record producer, publishing executive, and board member of pretty much every industry organization, Derek has masterfully navigated every corner of the music industry.
Derek’s playing can be heard on over 50 #1 records. His pickin can be heard an artists such as Dolly Parton, Kenny Chesney, Maren Morris, Thomas Rhett, and Carrie Underwood. As a producer he’s led the charge for artists like Maddie and Tae, Scotty McCreery and Granger Smith. He’s earned awards for ACM musician of the year and Music Row guitar player of the year; as well as a Grammy Nomination for Maren Morris’ album “HERO” Most recently, Derek took on the position of Vice President of A&R/Production at Spirit Music Group in Nashville.
Through all of Derek’s astounding success he has remained a humble, kind, and compassionate leader in the recording industry community. In this conversation we explore the journey that led Derek to where he is today, unpack his creative approach in the studio, and discuss the perspectives that have helped Derek remain grounded and focused on the opportunities that each day brings while staying patient and persistent in the process. And with that I am honored to welcome Derek Well’s, a legend who clearly did not need this introduction.
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Jacob Lowery- Bassist (Sara Barellis, Reba McEntire, CeCe Winans)
Studio Musician Academy
09/14/22 • 51 min
Todays guest is Jacob Lowery! Jacob is member of the legendary Michael McDonalds touring band and has held down the low end in the studio and on stage with an all start list of diverse artists like CeCe Winans, Sara Barellis and Reba McEntire to name a few. Jacob started his musical journey in his hometown church in Louisiana at the age of 5. Starting on drums, then transitioning to bass. He quickly recognized that music was his clear calling and eventually landed a position as a church music director in Austin, Texas.
After having the opportunity to work in the church’s studio, Jacob dove as deep as his pocket into record production, and followed the road to Nashville, TN. Since then Jacob has solidified his reputation as a first call bass player and a guaranteed great hang! Jacob has mastered the essential instinct of how to navigate the artist/producer vision and collaboratively serve the song. He truly and authentically makes everyone in the room feel heard and appreciated.
Jacob is also the host of an epic podcast called The Sideman Chronicles, which you should definitely add to your playlist. But first, lets dive in to the show and find out how Jacob has plucked, picked, and slapped his way through his illustrious career!
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Jerry Roe - Drummer/Bassist (Luke Combs, Post Malone, Dolly Parton)
Studio Musician Academy
06/25/24 • 41 min
Todays guest is Jerry Roe. Jerry is an ACM award winning, first call Nashville session drummer/bassist, and one half of the heavy duo, Friendship Commanders.
Jerry’s career is a shining example of how to remain unapologetically authentic to one’s creative and personal identity while crafting a top tier career in the music business.
Jerry has held down the pocket for artists like Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Dolly Parton, Post Malone, The Legendary Shackshakers, Secondhand Serenade, and a continued list of marquee acts that would take us the rest of the length of this podcast to recall. More importantly, Jerry has a one of a kind sense of humor, and an unmovable passion for art in all of it’s forms.
In this hilariously insightful episode, hosted by fellow drummer Miles McPherson, Jerry recalls his journey to becoming one of Nashville’s most in demand session drummers, shares the “secret” contents of his session gig bag, discusses the importance of retaining an authentic identity, and tells us why he believes that AI is a bubble that will burst with catastrophic impact.
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JIMMY WALLACE - KEYBOARD (THE WALLFLOWERS, JOE WALSH, MIRANDA LAMBERT)
Studio Musician Academy
03/26/24 • 36 min
Today’s guest is Jimmy Wallace!
Hailing from Shreveport Louisiana, Jimmy is a Nashville based Keyboardist who has checked all the boxes of a fulfilled career in serving the song. Jimmy has toured with artists like The Wallflowers, Kenny Wayne Shepard, Joe Walsh, and Jewel. He’s served in the studio alongside acts such as Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert, Parker McCollum, and Bonnie Bishop. Balancing a steady career between live gigs and studio work is an insurmountable feat for most musicians. However, Jimmy has managed to find success in a discerning approach to taking gigs that fill his pockets with both soul dollars and legal tender.
While experimenting with college life, Jimmy met a young Kenny Wayne Shepard during a dive bar blues jam in Shreveport. As Kenny’s career bloomed, Jimmy recognized the opportunity to learn on the job as opposed to a college classroom, and left college to hit the road with Kenny on an international tour with The Eagles. In the following decades, Jimmy has kept his heels dug in firmly below his instrument, while allowing his boots to keep walking in the direction that he sees creative fulfillment.
Jimmy’s career path has had several course corrections that have left a valuable trail of insight on developing and sustaining a fulfilled career in the recording industry. In this conversation, we hear an incredible perspective on attracting the gigs you want through carefully selecting the gigs you need. We explore the role of traditional keyboard instruments in modern production, and hear incredible stories of chance connections that led to massive opportunity.
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Mark Hill- Bassist (Kelly Clarkson, Eric Church, Luke Bryan)
Studio Musician Academy
12/01/22 • 48 min
Today’s guest is Mark Hill, Mark is at the top of the list for holding down the bottom end on recording sessions in Nashville. Clocking in for over 600 session dates a year, he’s well past the 10,000 hours mark of mastering his craft over the past 32 years in the industry.
Mark’s head turning tone and deep pocket has earned him five nominations for ACM Bass player of the year. He’s toured with artists like Reba, Martina McBride, and Steven Curtis Chapman. He held down the band leader roll for Keith Urban, and has collaborated on records with artists like Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Eric Church, Luke Bryan, and pretty much everyone else.
Mark’s focus on delivering a mix ready tone is arguably at the top of his undisputed calling card for Nashville’s top producers. However, he lays out so many golden examples of the skills beyond the instrument that go into becoming, and remaining a first call session musician. We’re honored to have Mark on the show, and stoked to have you here to learn from his journey. Here we go!
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Pat McGrath- Acoustic Guitarist (Lori McKenna, Jim Lauderdale, Parmalee)
Studio Musician Academy
10/30/22 • 44 min
Today's guest is Pat McGrath.
Pat is a first call acoustic, utility player who has lended his playing to countless hits for over 30 years.
Starting his career gigging on the west coast, Pat felt called to the set out on a path to session playing in Nashville and never looked back. After landing in Nashville, Pat began building relationships at local jam nights and touring gigs which led to referrals for a foot in the door opportunities on demo sessions, and eventually into the studio with artists like Luke Bryan, Parmalee, Lori McKenna, Jim Lauderdale, and countless others.
Whether he was on a fast paced demo factory session or a high pressure, major record, Pat understood the importance of always maintaining a clear focus and setting high bar of execution, knowing that every session is an opportunity to solidify the next one.
Pat is in tune with both his instrument and his mindset every time. His presence has been a blessing every time we’ve worked together and the experiences he shares in this conversation are no exception. Let’s dive in!
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Kris Donegan - Guitar (Darius Rucker, Shania Twain, Colbie Caillat
Studio Musician Academy
11/20/23 • 40 min
Today’s guest is Kris Donegan. If there’s a model example for developing your own preverbal box to fit into, Kris’ career is the blueprint. His unique approach to the session guitar chair has landed him on records with artists ranging from Darius Rucker, Shania Twain, and Kane Brown to Colbie Caillat, Third Eye Blind, and Michael W. Smith. He is an ACM guitar player of the year nominee, with numerous #1’s and Grammy winning recordings on his deep resume of studio sessions.
Kris has navigated the delicate balance of defining a creative identity that sets him apart from the crowd, while allowing that identity to be free from pre-conceptions with flexibility to bend and fit into each unique session. Through a career-long evolution, Kris has expertly navigated the nuances of what it takes to maintain success, and sanity, at the highest levels of the recording industry.
In this episode, we explore Kris’ career journey, the challenges along the way, and the lessons learned in the process. From discovering how to stand out while still fitting in, what to learn from getting replaced on a record, and how gear can be a rocket or an anchor, this episode is packed with invaluable lessons and unbelievable stories!
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FAQ
How many episodes does Studio Musician Academy have?
Studio Musician Academy currently has 39 episodes available.
What topics does Studio Musician Academy cover?
The podcast is about Bass, Music, Podcasts, Studio, Business, Music Interviews, Musician, Careers and Guitar.
What is the most popular episode on Studio Musician Academy?
The episode title 'Tom Bukovac- Guitarist (Steve Nicks, Willie Nelson, Joe Walsh)' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Studio Musician Academy?
The average episode length on Studio Musician Academy is 52 minutes.
How often are episodes of Studio Musician Academy released?
Episodes of Studio Musician Academy are typically released every 15 days, 22 hours.
When was the first episode of Studio Musician Academy?
The first episode of Studio Musician Academy was released on Apr 12, 2022.
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