@45RPM Creativity Will Save The World w Tom Willett (12” Extended Mix)

10/11/22 • 27 min

Tom Willett's roots go back to the counterculture of the 60s. He played bass in one of the earliest "Gospel Rock" bands (Sons of Thunder) and worked alongside artists such as T Bone Burnett, Tonio K, Mark Heard, The Choir, Sam Phillips, Phil Keaggy, and many others as an A&R rep, marketing man, and career coach. He has also spent decades as a teacher, helping college students as they sought to carve out meaningful careers as songwriters, artists, or future industry leaders.

Since his retirement from the industry a few years ago, Tom has been writing some amazing books – and on this special "12 Inch extended dance mix" 45 RPM episode of the podcast, which was recorded at the historic Well Koinonia Coffeehouse on Music Row in Nashville, we hear about his latest, Creativity Will Save The World: Toward A Spiritual Humanism – a short but powerful primer on the writings of Russian philosopher and activist Nicholas Alexandrovich Berdyaev. Whether you are an artist yourself or are simply interested in how our engagement with creativity and created things can shape us, this is critical stuff.

Full Show Notes, Music List, and archival video are available HERE or at TrueTunes.com/Willett45

If you would like to support the show, please consider joining our Patreon community or dropping us a one-time tip and check out our NEW MERCH!

Full Show Notes, Music List, and archival video are available HERE or at TrueTunes.com/Willett45

If you would like to support the show, please consider joining our Patreon community or dropping us a one-time tip and check out our NEW MERCH!

Previous Episode

Bill Mallonee (Vigilantes of Love): From Americana’s ”Next Big Thing” to Indefatigable Digital Busker

Bill Mallonee has been lauded as one of the 100 greatest living songwriters by Paste Magazine and honored by Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Billboard, and more. Before “Americana” was even known as a musical genre, his Athens GA band Vigilantes of Love was helping to define it. Later, with albums produced by Peter Buck of R.E.M., Mark Heard, Jim Scott, and Buddy Miller, it seemed all but inevitable that Bill and his band of outlaws would break through to the big time (whatever that means.) Instead, over thirty years into his career, Mallonee is duking it out, still taking things into his own hands – keeping it all painfully and beautifully real.

On this episode of the True Tunes Podcast, we are joined by one of the true “lifers” of the modern roots music scene. With over 70 albums under his belt – and no indication that he intends to slow down any time soon, Mallonee has become a sort of digital troubadour: an online busker. In this expansive conversation, we learn about his musical roots, his circuitous path through the music industry, and his lingering belief in the power of authentic songs.

Full Show Notes, Music List, and archival video are available HERE or at TrueTunes.com/VOL

If you would like to support the show, please consider joining our Patreon community or dropping us a one-time tip and check out our NEW MERCH!

Next Episode

@45RPM What Good Is Music? (with Pastor Chris Williamson of Strong Tower Bible Church and Transformation Crusade)

What good is music, anyway? Is there something happening in the arrangement of certain melodies, harmonies, rhythms, and lyrics that might actually have a meaningful impact on hearts and minds in these dark, divided, and confusing days? We decided to talk to someone who would know; a man who is a pastor, an artist, an advocate for social change, and a fan of great music.

Chris Williamson is the Pastor of Strong Tower Bible Church in Nashville, TN – a community that has been passionately committed to diversity and integrity for decades. Before founding the church, however, Pastor Chris was a founding member of the pioneering Gospel Hip Hop group Transformation Crusade back in the 80s. We gave you a sneak peek of our conversation with Pastor Chris on the Royce Lovett show (where we dove into the roots of Gospel Hip Hop with Soup The Chemist,) and we’re excited to offer more from that inspiring conversation.

From Sam Cooke and the roots of Soul Music to Gospel and Worship Music, to Public Enemy, Lecrae, Chance The Rapper, and Kendrick Lamar, Pastor Chris is clear-eyed and big-eared about music's potential to unite or divide – to challenge or to mollify. It all comes down, it seems, to our intentions and our willingness to allow the music to work on us.

Full Show Notes, Music List, and archival video are available HERE or at TrueTunes.com/PastorChris45

If you would like to support the show, please consider joining our Patreon community or dropping us a one-time tip and check out our NEW MERCH!