The Working Songwriter

Blake Christiana is the creative force behind this relentlessly touring band that has shared the stage with Dwight Yoakam, Marty Stuart, and Allison Krauss.

Listen to the first single from my forthcoming album "Joe Pug - Live at the Old Town School of Folk Music".  Thanks for supporting the podcast and my tunes as well!

During a career that has featured stints with Drivn' and Cryin' and Jason Isbell's 400 Unit, this guitar hero has lately been spreading his wings with a critically acclaimed solo project.

This native of Kentucky is an accomplished songwriter, cellist, and film scorer who has collaborated with Abigail Washburn, Bela Fleck and Jim James of My Morning Jacket.

This native of Ohio has carved out a 30 year career in Nashville with songs cut by Trisha Yearwood, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Radney Foster.  And her sought-after voice has appeared on albums by Jason Isbell and Ryan Adams.

This young rock group out of Los Angeles has played Coachella twice and toured with Interpol, Chicano Batman, and many others.

This native Californian moved to Nashville and went on to write songs recorded by Willie Nelson and Jessica Simpson.  She's collaborated with Dwight Yoakam, Vince Gill, and many more.

This drummer, songwriter, producer and filmmaker got his start by founding the North Mississippi All Stars with his brother Luther.  He has since gone onto a career that has encompassed Grammies, supergroups, and film scores.

Eric Earley is the songwriter behind this PNW roots music mainstay that has toured with Pavement, Drive By Truckers, Dawes and many others.

Israel Nebecker is the the creative force behind this influential acoustic band from Astoria, OR.  He stops by the show to discuss living in a tree house in their early years, recording with Tucker Martine, and finding inspiration after a significant hiatus between albums.

The folk supergroup composed of Anais Mitchell (Hadestown), Eric D. Johnson (Fruit Bats), and Josh Kauffman (Josh Ritter, Bob Weir), returns to the show to discuss their latest album which was recorded in a century-old pub in Cork County Ireland.

This Berklee College of Music grad discusses her years writing songs for other artists such as Demi Lovato, and her meteoric rise as an artist in her own right over the last five years.

This luminary of American roots music discusses his years on the road with Leftover Salmon, Great American Taxi, and The High Hawks.

This legendary musician and songwriter was integral to the Staxx Records sound, and has writing credits on "Green Onions" and "Sittin' On The Dock of the Bay".

This Oregon native has toured with John Mayer, Sheryl Crowe and Train.  He's also recorded for Columbia and Universal Republic records over the course of his remarkable career over two decades.

This legendary band from New England has toured with everyone from Phish to John Mayer to Dave Matthews Band.  They've experience underground success and Gold singles.  Their creative leader Ryan Miller stops by the show to discuss their long journey in music.

This Grammy award winning bluegrass band from North Carolina has been active for nearly a quarter century.  They stop by the show to discuss their years as a group, including their auspicious collaboration with the legendary comedian Steve Martin.

Monique Powell is the lead singer of this legendary ska punk band from Orange County CA, who have been blazing their on trail in music for three decades now.

This American songwriter and producer has written for and with Darius Rucker, Lady Antebellum, Jewel, Pat Green and Guy Clark.  He joins the show to discuss his career of writing for himself and for other artists.

Ed Roland is the creative force behind this legendary American rock band, he stops by the show to discuss the unlikely way that the band broke and their three decade career thereafter.

This songwriter has recorded for RCA and Interscope Records, and toured with AWOLNATION, Third Eye Blind, and Dashboard Confessional.  Recently, she has had to navigate the unexpected medical condition of sudden hearing loss.  An inspirational story from an inspirational artist.

This native of Ontario has written and recorded platinum singles of his own, while also remaining a contributing member of the legendary rock band Styx.

This founding member of the wildly popular group Lake Street Dive joins the show to discuss her new solo project, her early years learning the upright bass, and composing with a group.

This celebrated film and television actor who spent nine seasons on How I Met Your Mother on CBS, is well on his way to establishing his career as a recording artist.

This celebrated young bluegrass outfit from Montana has toured with Goose, Infamous Stringdusters, Greensky Bluegrass and many others.

This California native pulled a stint in Dirty Projectors, and then formed the band Coco before striking out on her own.

This bandleader recounts their humble origins in Lubbock, having their song "Taste" take off on local radio, and their wild musical journey ever since.

This newly formed super group features Grammy award winning guitarist Eric Krasno of Soul Live, Otis McDonald and bass player Mike Chiavaro.  The conversation was taped live at the 2023 Park City Song Summit.

The accomplished songwriter, guitarist, and record producer reflects on cutting his teeth with his father's band, The Allman Brothers, and blazing his own path.

This songwriter has had six Number Ones on the Canadian Country charts and also performs as an actress on television shows on AMC and Netflix.

This hard-touring group got their break when the T.V. sensation Yellowstone featured their music.  They're out now with a brand new record, "Norther".

The roots music icon joins our show to discuss his early punk years with The Nuns, touring with John Prine, and his latest album "Echo Dancing".

This East Nashville troubadour has shared the stage with John Prine and Justin Townes Earle stops by the show to discuss her new album.

The new album "Sketch of a Promised Departure" is out today.  Here's a small taste of it.  Head to joepugmusic.com to hear more.

Ellis Ludwig-Leone is the composer behind this indie rock collective that has a string of critically acclaimed albums to their name.

The creative force behind this legendary rock band opens up about his years on the road, getting sober, and writing his new memoir, "Red Letter Days".

Bryan Bassett has been a contributing member to Foghat, Wild Cherry, and southern rock luminaries Molly Hatchet.  He joins the show to discuss his five decades in music.

This native of North Carolina was once an integral member of Band of Horses and is now back to releasing his own critically acclaimed solo albums.

This artist hails from St. Louis and has toured with the Swell Season, Ben Folds, and many others.

Jay Clementi is a chart topping songwriting who has written for Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, Martina McBride and many others.  He joins our show to talk about the foundation he creatively works with to help veterans tell their own stories through song.

We were joined by Paul Janeway at the Park City Song Summit to discuss his group's meteoric rise to prominence and his creative process.

This American string band from Minnesota excels with an emphasis on songcraft and lyricism.

This native of Downingtown PA studied Berklee College of Music, moved to Nashville and promptly won the prestigious BMI John Lennon songwriting competition.

Jake Duzsik is the founder and creative force behind this industrial rock band from Los Angeles that has toured with Nine Inch Nails and contributed scoring to video games such as Grand Theft Auto.

This legendary Austin TX songwriter stops by the show to talk about three decades of prolific writing, touring, and recording.

This Canadian hip hop star has found success for over three decades, including appearances with Snoop Dogg and platinum records of his own.

This soulful singer from the American south has painstakingly built a worldwide following over the last decade.

Jason Singer is the creative force behind this indie rock band that has built a national following by collaborating with Manchester Orchestra and playing legendary festivals such as Lollapalooza.

Zach and Lebo are the creative forces behind this rock and jam institution.  They discuss their original formation, and recording for Jack Johnson's Brushfire Records.

The legendarily spirited rock and roll frontman joins the show to discuss his early years working for record labels, DIY touring, and learning the craft of songwriting from mentors in Nashville.

This Grammy winner stops by the show to discuss her acclaimed band Flor de Toloache, and her time touring with notable acts such as Dan Auerbach's The Arcs.

This artist, formerly of Fake Problems, has toured with the Gaslight Anthem, Anti-Flag, Frank Turner and many others.  

This legendary songsmith who has written for Brad Paisley, the Chicks, Guy Clark, Montgomery Gentry and many others joins the show.

Listen to the first song of the new Joe Pug album.

Providence Rhode Island's greatest gift to rock and roll joins the show to discuss their years on the road and their knack for collaborating with one another over the course of years.

This musical project is the brainchild of musician Joe Bagale, who has built a sizeable following for his music via the pathway of the royalty free library on Youtube.

This native of the PNW has won the Telluride Troubadour award for songwriting and the prestigious Kerrville Folk Fest "New Folk" award.  She's been composing and recording critically acclaimed folk records for the last decade.

This Akron OH native got his start busking the streets of Europe before moving to Los Angeles and scoring his first record deal.  He's carved out a career as one of Americana's most beloved journeyman songwriters.

After starring in hit musicals like "Spring Awakening" and "American Idiot", this multi-faceted performer has struck out on a career as a singer-songwriter.

This peripatetic songwriter has collaborated with Rhett Miller, Gary Louris, Matthew sweet and many others, all while keeping her own artistic career rolling.

Wes Bayliss, one of the co-founders of this Nashville southern rock juggernaut, stops by the show to talk about the band's genesis and the loss of their co-founder Jason "Rowdy" Cope.

This duo from New England has been releasing anthemic and rousing folk music for over a decade.

Julia Steiner, the creative force behind this exciting young indie rock band, stops by the show to discuss the band's origins and their latest album.

One of the founding members of this indelible American jam band stops by the show to discuss his early years, recording with Steve Berlin, and writing with a group.

The legendary troubadour who fronted bands like the Nerves and the Plimsouls, talks about his five decade career as a Grammy nominated singer-songwriter. 

Zack Feinberg, one of the creative forces behind this platinum selling rock band, stops by the show to talk creative process.

This blues guitarist from Kansas City is also an ace songwriter and performer.

This talented songwriter signed to Geffen Records as a senior in high school, and has headlined Red Rocks.

This native of Greece has been blazing his own path in American music after an auspicious meeting the soul music star Leon Bridges.

This homegrown Nashville artists has written for Morgan Wallen and Thomas Rhett, and now has a Gold Record of his own.

This artist has written songs for Amy Grant and the Pointer Sisters and has also worked as a session singer for Jewel and Freedy Johnston.

This Grammy nominated and chart-topping artist from Breaux Bridge, LA stops by the show to recall his ascent in music and entertainment.

The former member of Styx and writer of hits for Patty Smyth, Don Henley and Randy Travis stops by the show.

The lead guitarist and one of the contributing songwriters to this iconic heavy metal band stops by the show to discuss his time in the studio and on the road with the group.

This Canadian born troubadour has seen platinum success, toured with Shania Twain, and has hosted "Canada's Got Talent".

The Texas troubadour returns to our show to opine on owning a nightclub, running a studio, and producing his latest album "Yesterday's News" in Fort Worth.

This standard bearer of Nashville's music row stops by the show to discuss his many decades in songwriting, including writing hits for Elvis, Trisha Yearwood, Reba McEntire, and many others.

This troubadour and proud native of West Virginia stops by the show to talk about his rise to national prominence, balancing family and artistic obligations, and leaving one dream to pursue another.

This songwriting supergroup is composed of Sean McConnell, Garrison Starr, and the producer Peter Groenwald.

Dallas Green, the creative mastermind behind this platinum selling Canadian band, stops by the show to discuss his musical upbringing and his creative process.