Welcome to Episode 307 of The Artist Connection Podcast! My guest today is Courtney Moorehead Balaker! She is an award-winning filmmaker, producer, director, writer, and co-founder of Korchula Productions. Her latest project “Little Pink House” is available now for streaming, VOD, and DVD. It tells the true story of one woman’s struggle to save her home from corporate redevelopment in her area. She is up against Pfizer and the government in this emotional tale of the importance of fighting for w...
Aug 01, 2018•51 min•Ep. 307
Welcome to Episode 306 of The Artist Connection Podcast! My guest today is actor & musician Ben Rauch! His latest track “The Emoji Song” has recently won Best Comedy Song in the USA Songwriting Competition. It also won four Silver Medal awards for Outstanding Achievement in the Global Music Awards. This praise and recognition is well deserved. It is such a fun song! Be sure to check out the video, as well. Both “The Emoji Song” and Ben’s holiday hit “Jersey Christmas” are featured with this ...
Jul 29, 2018•57 min•Ep. 306
At long last...The wait is over...Episode 305 of The Artist Connection Podcast is here! My guest today is musician Jason Klahr. We have been friends & brothers for 36 years and I am so excited to share his story with you. We start at the very beginning and discuss his earliest musical influences, his time in the US Navy, the places that he has called home, and his life in Hawaii. He is one of my favorite guitar players, and the first person to make music a tangible thing for me. Songs went f...
Jul 14, 2018•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 305
Welcome to Episode 304 of The Artist Connection Podcast! My guest today is Actor-Musician-Producer Eric Walker. His latest album “Brand New Day” is available now. Three of his tracks are featured throughout this episode. After you listen to the interview, be sure to pick up your own copy. I will provide links below. Eric has the distinction of being my first guest from the Star Wars universe! As a child actor, Eric was cast as Mace Towani in “Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure” & “Ewoks: ...
Oct 05, 2017•53 min
Welcome to Episode 303 of The Artist Connection Podcast! My guest today is music legend Mark Slaughter! I have been a fan of his since the 80’s, so having the chance to speak with him was a real thrill for me. His new solo album “Halfway There” is available now. Three tracks from it are featured throughout this episode, along with a Van Halen cover that he recorded in 2007. After you listen to the interview, be sure to pick up your own copy of the album. I will provide links below. We also talke...
Aug 25, 2017•56 min•Ep. 303
Happy Independence Day to all of my fellow Americans celebrating on this beautiful 4th of July Weekend! I have a very special episode on deck today. Musician Joie Calio returns to the show to catch me up on all of the work that he’s been doing with dada and 7horse. He and his bandmates are about to kick off a new set of dates for the dada tour. I will be there when they come to Philadelphia in September. Learn more at www.dadaforever.com . Joie allowed me to feature some of my favorite dada &...
Jul 04, 2017•1 hr 43 min
It is hard to believe that the 6th anniversary of this podcast is only a few days away. I have met some amazing people along the way and I am honored to have the opportunity to share these conversations with you. Today’s episode starts off with “Swagger,” the brand new single from the band 7horse. Learn more about them at www.7horsemusic.com , and be sure to stop by Amazon or iTunes to grab your own copy of the song. After that you will hear my interview with comedian Brad Williams. I had so muc...
Jun 23, 2017•48 min
Welcome to Episode 300 of The Artist Connection Podcast! My guest for this milestone is my good friend Stewart Kenny. Stew is a singer/songwriter from Dublin Ireland, and longtime listeners know him from his many appearances over the past several years. It is always great to catch up with him. His brand new album “A Better Place” is available now at iTunes ( https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/stewart-kenny/id327768932 ). Please check it out and pick up a copy of your own. If you connect with Ste...
May 19, 2017•1 hr 8 min
The Artist Connection Podcast is back and bigger than ever! Today’s guest is musician Jim McCarty. He is best known as the drummer for The Yardbirds, but there is so much more to the story. We talked about his early double life as a London Stockbroker by day and drumming Mod by night, and his family’s reaction to his career in the music business. He shared stories about his life post-Yardbirds, and how it all came back around for him. Jim also has amazing solo albums available. I sprinkled in so...
Apr 28, 2017•1 hr 15 min
Today’s returning guest is a musician, podcaster, author, and world traveler. George Hrab does it all! He was one of my first guests back in 2011 and his podcast was a major inspiration behind my desire to start this show. He gave me advice in those early days that has stayed with me through the years. I was so happy that he took time out of his busy schedule to stop over and catch up. George shared some highlights of 2016, why he chose to plant roots in Bethlehem PA, and his thoughts on social ...
Dec 19, 2016•2 hr 35 min
I am very excited to share this episode with you! Today’s guest is musician Chris Butler. Even though this is his first appearance, he plays a big part in the history of the show. As I planned out the podcast back in 2011, Chris was on my original list of people that I wanted to speak with. I am thrilled that I now have the opportunity to feature this talented artist and share his story and music with you. I first learned about Chris back in 1982. He was the founder/guitarist/songwriter of The W...
Dec 02, 2016•2 hr 35 min
Today’s guest is Joie Calio! This episode explores the many sides of this cool musician through music and conversation. I am a huge fan of his band “7Horse”, and meeting him to talk through his life and musical career was a great experience for me. He shared stories about growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, when music first took hold of him, and his many adventures in the 90's and beyond. Joie has been a working musician his whole life, and you can still hear the excitement in his voice wh...
Nov 11, 2016•1 hr 32 min
Today’s guest is Actor/Rocker/Renaissance Man Michael Des Barres! This episode gave me the opportunity to explore the many sides of this legendary performer through music and conversation. I have been a fan of his for as long as I can remember, and meeting him was an absolute thrill! He doesn’t normally talk about the past in great detail, but he gave me a glimpse during our hour together because he knew how much it meant to me. He has contributed so much to the pop culture landscape and I wante...
Nov 02, 2016•1 hr 15 min
The Artist Connection Podcast is back! My good friend Jade Starling returns to the show to break my summer long hiatus, and it was great to speak with her again. She has a brand new single out now on Tazmania Records. Jade joined Mike Ferullo on "Party 2 Life." Two versions of this high energy track are featured here. I love it, and I know you will, too. Jade and I covered some heavy topics in this interview. We talked through some recent events that are happening in the world which haven't been...
Aug 21, 2016•1 hr 6 min
Today's guest is my good friend LAW! He's been featured here many times and we always have a lot to talk about. It's been about six months since we last spoke, and we lost many musical greats in that time. We paid tribute to many of them during our conversation, but our primary focus was on Prince. His music meant so much to both of us and it was nice to share our memories and favorite musical moments. LAW has such respect for the people that came before him and influenced what he is doing today...
May 28, 2016•1 hr 32 min
Introducing UK singer/songwriter Emily Capell! This episode mixes music and my conversation with this dynamic performer. Her songs are catchy but also make you think. These are the same qualities that attracted me to The Clash in the early 80's. Through Emily, I learned about Winston Silcott and Smiley Culture. These may not be household names in the States, but they are very significant in England. Five of Emily's songs are featured with this episode, as well as the story behind each. We also c...
Apr 27, 2016•1 hr 4 min
My guest today is singer/songwriter Angela Elia! She lives in NYC and we had a lot to talk about! We covered topics as varied as social media, life in the Big Apple, technology, and various social issues. The thing that linked everything together is music. Even though we just met, it was if I'd known Angela for years. Her single is called "Be Okay" and it is featured with this episode. After you hear it, I know you will want your own copy. Angela has an active presence on Instagram , and Twitter...
Apr 16, 2016•41 min
My guest today is singer/songwriter Clay Snyder! Clay grew up in Hawaii but is now living in Erie, PA. His musical mission is to “Spread the Aloha lifestyle, the positive vibes that heal” and he more than accomplishes that goal! Three of his songs are featured here to give you an idea of what this means. It was so cool to speak with him about his life, experiences, influences, and the importance of having the confidence to get on stage and perform. Clay is very active on social media, so be sure...
Mar 30, 2016•53 min
Today's guest is Philadelphia area singer/songwriter Cliff Hillis! His brand new EP "Love Not War" is being released today, and Cliff joined me to tell me all about it. I have been a fan of Cliff's music since seeing him open for Smash Palace last year and I'm happy to share his story with you on this special day. We had a great conversation about his early days, the musicians that he works with, our shared love of vinyl records, and our common influences from the late 70's and early 80's. Visit...
Mar 18, 2016•42 min
Today's guest is Rachael Sage! She is a vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, dancer, visual artist, songwriter, and producer. Rachael is no stranger to life on the road, performing over a 100 dates per year. Her latest tour begins in Austin on 3/16/16 at SXSW. Keep up to date with all of the tour stops at www.rachaelsage.com . We had a nice conversation about her life, music, and experiences. She has been releasing albums since 1996 and I am a huge fan of her work. Three of my favorite songs are fea...
Mar 10, 2016•49 min
Today's episode features the long awaited return of J Smith to The Artist Connection Podcast! J first appeared back in July of 2012 for Ep 091 . Since that time, he has been through some life changing experiences and has grown as a man and an artist. The good news is he is back with a brand new single and a new outlook on his future. J's music has always been positive but he went through some things that put his attitude to the test. He came out on the other side and is ready to impress us all o...
Feb 27, 2016•37 min
Today's guest is Jax! Many of you know her from Season 14 of American Idol. She had so many cool musical moments that led to her strong finish. Her diverse song selections made her one of my all time favorites in the history of that show. It was great to speak with her about her influences and her brand new single "La La Land" which is featured here along with two tracks from the "American Idol Season 14-Best of Jax" album. Learn more about her at www.jaxofficialx.com and watch for her on Facebo...
Feb 17, 2016•27 min
NYC based singer/songwriter Brian Mackey joined me on the show for a fantastic conversation about his life and music. His various influences come through in his songs, and his writing style is very autobiographical. You can tell that he has lived every note. He is a classically trained pianist and was inspired by Bob Dylan & Jim Croce as much as Mozart & Beethoven. Brian brings it all together and has an amazing story to tell. His latest record is called " Broken Heartstrings ." Two song...
Feb 03, 2016•49 min
Today's guest is Michael Wechsler! He is the Writer/Director/Producer of " Altered Minds " which is out now on VOD. It is a psychological thriller about a tormented son who makes a desperate bid to save his sanity by unearthing family secrets before his father dies. It stars Judd Hirsch, Ryan O'Nan, Jaime Ray Newman, C.S. Lee, Joseph Lyle Taylor, and Caroline Lagerfelt. We talked about how this amazing cast came together and the locations that were used during filming. I love movies like this. E...
Jan 13, 2016•53 min
My guest today is singer Dani Rey! We talked about her debut album "Yo!" as well as her life and inspirations. She is a proud Cuban that was raised between Washington DC and Miami. Dani recently moved to Los Angeles to focus on her music and acting career. At 17 years old, she is already a high school graduate and currently attends Penn State University World Campus. Three songs from "Yo!" are featured with this episode, including the title track. For that one, Dani teamed up with Grammy Award w...
Jan 08, 2016•29 min
Welcome to my annual Christmas episode! 2015 was an amazing year for me both personally and professionally. I want to thank all of my guests that joined me, and thank you for listening! Special thanks to my family along with Hiyori, Matt Syverson, Tim Binder, Tommy Kenny, and Cindy & Jen at LadyLake for their endless support. I had some old friends stop by for this episode and it was great to catch up with them. I also have a few instant holiday classics to share with you. They are listed be...
Jan 04, 2016•53 min
Today's guest needs no introduction. LAW has been on this show so many times, and each appearance is as unique as he is! No scripts, no edits, and no agendas. We just talk about whatever is on our minds and happening right now. This episode covers topics like LAW's inspiration for his dance moves and style, James Brown, and the Amy Winehouse doc. Learn more about him at https://www.facebook.com/The-Official-Fan-Page-Of-LAW-Planet-12-Productions--189013589954/ and https://twitter.com/planet12law ...
Dec 22, 2015•1 hr 34 min
Today's guest is UK musician Russell Sinclair! I recently called over to Plymouth to speak with him about his brand new debut album "Bought & Sold." It is a fantastic collection of songs, two of which are featured with this episode. Russell draws his inspiration from many styles of music. I first saw him online and checked out his website. I bought all of his music within minutes! He is the kind of artist that can instantly inspire you. I am also featuring songs from his Plymouth Tapes EPs s...
Dec 21, 2015•1 hr 6 min
My guest today is Judy Chaikin! She is the Writer/Producer/Director of "The Girls in the Band." It is out now on DVD and VOD. I LOVED this movie. It was so exciting to have been given the opportunity to speak with Judy about it and feature her story of how the project came together. It is a documentary that details the journey of female jazz musicians from the 1930's through today. I am a huge fan of music, and thought I knew most of the highlights of 20th century musical history. I was wrong. T...
Dec 14, 2015•54 min
My guest today is musician Luke Wade! Many of you know him from Season 7 of "The Voice." One of his performances caused Adam Levine to stand on his chair! We talked about his time on that hit show, as well as his life before and after the time that he spent there. Luke also told me about his recent tour and his plans to record a new album in 2016. He currently has a PledgeMusic Campaign which allows you to contribute towards the creation of the album. Learn more at http://www.pledgemusic.com/pro...
Dec 07, 2015•37 min
