Mato just raised pre-seed Read more
Podcast charts
Published by John J. Thompson / True Tunes
We make no apologies here: Our goal is to help artists as they work to make the world a more beautiful and musical place, and to help grow audiences for those artists, both in scale and in depth. You might notice that our conversations with artists, producers, authors, and industry leaders are usually focused on those two main themes: artist and audience development. I experienced this first-hand for decades at the Cornerstone Festival – and I have dedicated my life to it for over forty years. And now, as an artist and author myself – and as a professor and director of music industry studies – helping the next generation of songwriters and artists find their way in this algorithmically addled environment is very close to my heart. I’m still here – working to make sense of it all right alongside everyone else. This is what we believe: We believe music is spiritually significant, not merely entertaining. All music participates in something larger than itself. We believe human curation is more valuable than algorithmic convenience. Trusted guides with great taste and earned judgment matter more than a machine that gives you more of what you already like. We believe gathering matters more than commerce, though commerce makes gathering possible. The transaction is credible because the curation is trustworthy. We believe countercultural conviction can be held without apology and without aggression. We know who we are. We are not interested in being popular in the wrong rooms. We believe the artist and the audience are equally sacred. The line between them nearly disappears when music is doing what it is supposed to do. The faith underneath all of it shows up in the questions we bring, not in the answers we insist on. We are a virtual – and occasionally real-life venue, not a feed, with lots of rooms to explore. A gathering place with human voices at the center -- asking what the work is doing to us, where it comes from, and why it matters. We still believe. So do you. Come join us.
On the charts
Every published chart this podcast appears in, in the snapshot behind this page. Each one links to the chart it came off.
The Mato Topic Intelligence Platform does not report this podcast as charting in a published category in this snapshot.
From the feed
The latest episodes published to this podcast’s own RSS feed. Titles and descriptions are the publisher’s.
Big Beautiful Bruce Brown Special This show would not exist without the long, steady, wise guidance and technical prowess of music writer, radio veteran, and mixmaster extraordinaire, Bruce A. Brown. In this special, inside-out episode, we turn the microphone around. Host and podcast co-founder John J. Thompson sits down with Bruce in the “Virtual True Tunes Interview Suite” for a wide-ranging conversation about his life, his work, his passions, and the four-decade friendship behind this podcast. The conversation comes on the first anniversary of the Big Beautiful Bruce Brown Benefit , a two-hour streaming event held after Bruce's cancer diagnosis, where a slew of artists contributed home-recorded songs and testimonials. Together with Bruce's GoFundMe , the benefit raised roughly $20,000 toward the treatment costs insurance doesn't cover. Woven throughout this episode are clips of music from artists who benefit from friends, including Michael Roe, Terry Scott Taylor, Bill Mallonee, Bill Campbell, Dave Perkins, Glenn Kaiser, Phil Keaggy, Jimmy Abegg, The Choir, Chris Taylor, and others. There’s a lot more music, too! SUPPORT BRUCE Bruce's fundraiser remains open — costs have continued to mount in the year since the benefit. If this episode moved you, please consider putting a few bucks in the jar HERE . If you want to support the show more broadly, please join our Patreon community or drop us a one-time tip via PayPal, and check out our MERCH! And thank you for doing all the other stuff — leaving us ratings and reviews on Apple Podcasts, signing up for the email list, and subscribing to the weekly Spotify Mixtape. Spotify and Apple are great places to discover new music, but once you discover an artist you love, please support them with your dollars and your attention. (NOTE: Our friend and long-time supporter, David Bunker , is also in need of help as he is battling Lewy Body Disease. We are helping to host a special tribute event in Nashville on September 12th, and encourage you to give to his GoFundMe Campaign as well. More info can be found HERE .) MUSIC IN THIS EPISODE This episode features numerous exclusive musical clips from the “ BBBBB ” livestream, including: Jimmy Abegg; Phil Keaggy; Terry Scott Taylor; Michael Roe & Bruce Spencer; Kevin Max; The Choir; Bill Campbell; Phil Madeira Trio; Glenn Kaiser; Dave Perkins; Bill Mallonee (And a few words from Amy Grant & Steve Taylor) With additional musical excerpts from: The Sunshine Boys - We Need A Whole Lot More Of Jesus (And A Lot Less Rock & Roll) Daniel Amos - Divine Instant (instrumental mix) David Grisman - Shenandoah Breakdown Johnny Cash - Hey, Good Lookin’ The George Martin Orchestra - Can’t Buy Me Love Steve Taylor - Svengali (Remix) Russ Taff - If II Had My Way The Seekers (of St. Louis, MO) - Road of Life The Way - If You Will Believe Blessed Hope - Something More Jethro Tull - Bourée King Crimson - 21st Century Schizoid Man (Instrumental Mix); The Court of the Crimson King (Instrumental Mix) Daniel Amos - Everyone’s Fallen Down (Live Bootleg ’82 version) The Osmonds - Down By the Lazy River The Horace Silver Quintet - Song for My Father The Monkees - Early Morning Blues And Greens (Master Backing Track) The Charlie Peacock Jazz Quintet - Promise of Fellowship Kept Delirious - Deeper Natalie Bergman - Shine Your Light On Me Dexter Gordon - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Ella Fitzgerald - Santa Claus Got Stuck In My Chimney Flo Price - Scene 1: Somewhere In Outer Space Above Planet Earth / It’s the Very Best Time of the Year Bruce Cockburn - Deer Dancing ‘Round a Broken Mirror; After the Rain Jacob Collier - You Can Close Your Eyes Mike Roe - Mercy Seat Bill Mallonee - Best Seat In the Room (Instrumental) Chris Taylor - Meditation (Melt Into Morning) Phil Keaggy - Noah’s Shuffle; Jam In The Side Pocket; Tiger Tail (Super Sessions!) (And possibly a few notes from Michael Roe & Mark Harmon - Spirits Flying Over Mt. Tamalpais and The Choir - Cool Black Water) And Licensed music from the Soundstripe Library IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE, don't miss: David Bunker on Artist Care & Nurturing the Creative Big Beautiful Bruce Brown Benefit! Bill Mallonee: Love Vigilante for Life Singing Along with The Choir The Beautiful Mystery of Terry Scott Taylor (Part 1) Renaissance Man Jimmy Abegg Michael Roe Did It For Love (Pt. 1) Chris Taylor Carries The Flame (+ Sixpence on the Jukebox!)
Welcome to the PILOT EPISODE of True Tunes Connect, a new chapter in this continuing story that began back in 1989. Thirty years ago, I interviewed a freshly minted artist named Sheryl Crow for the pages of our old print magazine, True Tunes News, right as her first hit single was breaking. We had a feeling there was something deeper going on than "just having some fun." Turns out we were right. (Our Patreon members can find a digital reprint of that original article in their feed.) For this pilot, we're dropping in on a private event recently held near Lipscomb University that we called "Wisdom From The Well", where one of my Music Industry Studies students, Abby Whitman, sat down to interview Sheryl herself. I open the show, then hand her the mic — and she did a better job of it than I did three decades ago. A note for longtime listeners: True Tunes Connect isn't the classic True Tunes Podcast, though it comes from the same place. These episodes run shorter — usually 15 to 20 minutes — built around two things we care about most: developing artists, and developing the audiences who need them. The long-form conversations you remember haven't gone anywhere; they'll surface from time to time as Special Features, and the full extended interview (including the rest of this Sheryl Crow conversation) is available to our Patreon members (and coming soon to our Substack subscribers) at Patreon.com/TrueTunes and TrueTunes.Substack.com. We will also continue to throw super-short "Microdose" episodes into the feed, along with some @45RPM specials. But True Tunes Connect is a wider, more comprehensive project we are developing to connect artists to the ideas, inspiration, and resources they need, and listeners to the artists they love. It's about artist - and audience - development and connection, with expressions that include the podcast, articles, workshops, books, and gatherings. You'll hear about it all - including our creed - here on the pilot and in upcoming episodes. Spread the word! Find photos, links, and more on the full Show Notes Page at TrueTunes.com/Connect-Pilot
We are back where we started, in more ways than one, with songwriter, artist, producer, and musician’s musician – Charlie Peacock . In this comprehensive conversation, recorded in person at Charlie’s home studio in Nashville, JJT and CP revisit his earliest days as a young musician in California. The release of his recent memoir, Roots and Rhythm, and an EP worth of previously unheard recordings from 1981 called The Kahne Sessions, frames this story of formation and transformation. We then follow the man as he becomes one of the most successful producers in the history of pop music. A special 30-minute Jukebox feature traces the evidence – from his earliest production work with The Choir and The 77s, to a Top 40 pop breakthrough, his discovery and launch of one of the great 90s alternative rock bands, and multiple Grammy Awards in the 2000s in the Americana and Folk space. This may be our longest show yet (and it features over 60 musical cuts), but when considering the work of someone like Chuck, it seems more than fitting. His voice, both literally and as experienced through his piano, pen, and studio control board, has done as much to shape our concepts and imagination about the redemptive potential of art in a broken yet beautiful world as just about any other artist. So, sit back, relax, and let the words and the music wash over you as we give thanks for the gift that is Charlie Peacock. If you want to support the show, please join our Patreon community or drop us a one-time tip and check out our MERCH! For full show notes, (including a list of all of the songs used on this show,) photos, and more, visit TrueTunes.com/CP25 (coming soon) Music List: Set 1 Watching Eternity Winsome Kelly Blues One Man Gets Around Charlie Peacock-Ashworth - Redbones In The Shadows John McLaughlin - Extrapolation Jeff Beck Group ft. Jan Hamme - Freeway Jam (Live) Scrappy Lil’ Cat We The People Dance 4 Me All Night (Afrobeat ’23) Jamming with Edward - The Boudoir Stomp Refuge of the Wild (f. Eric Harland, John Patitucci, Chris Potter & Marcus Printup) Suddenly Big Man’s Hat (Live) Istanbul, Gate To Prosperity (ft. Jeff Coffin & WonderTwins) Set 2 High Risk Casualty American Music Lie Down In The Grass (Bruce Neher STEM mix) Rhythm Girls Charlie Peacock Group - Motion Sickness (Last Vestiges of Honor) Charlie Peacock Group - No Magazines (Last Vestiges of Honor) Hot Night Downtown Vector - Running from the Light Charlie Peacock-Ashworth - Jude, as in Hey Jude Vector - Mannequin Virtue Congolesia I Will Need Your Help Iridium-2022-07-09-Demo-Mix Set 3 Message Boy (Video remix) Experience Rainbow Motherfunk Monkeys at the Zoo Blue for You (ft. Eric Harland, John Patitucci, Chris Potter & Marcus Printup) This is How the Work Gets Done Sexy Chill Sway Beauty Left the Room Go Light, Go Free (ft. Turtle Island Quartet) One Small Pebble A Boy and His Dreams Whole Lot Different, Whole Lot the Same (Pandemic version, ft. Jimmy Abegg, Sam Ashworth, Brent Bourgeois, Eric Heilman, Michael Roe, Aaron Smith, Bongo Bob Smith and Roger Smith) All songs credited to Charlie Peacock, except where noted. Jukebox Playlist 77s Ba-Ba-Ba-Ba Caught In An Unguarded Moment Someone New You Don’t Scare Me The Choir Fear Only You Render Love Russ Taff Down in the Lowlands Margaret Becker This Is My Passion The Hunger Stays Simple House All I Ever Wanted Soul Tattoo Jimmy Abegg Entertaining Angels Touch of Love Out of the Grey He Is Not Silent Charlie Peacock Every Heartbeat (Live at 3rd & Lindsley) Amy Grant Every Heartbeat dc Talk In the Light Aaron Smith Again and One Mo’ Time Sarah Masen All Fall Down Switchfoot Ode to Chin Dare You to Move The Civil Wars If I Didn’t Know Better Poison & Wine Barton Hollow Charlie Peacock Damnation Charlie Peacock ft. Sam Ashworth & Ruby Amanfu Good Things Charlie Peacock (ft. Brian Blade, Scott Mulvahill, Roger Smith & Jeff Coffin) Promise of Fellowship Kept Also heard: Phil Keaggy - God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen Charlie Peacock - Blue for You (ft. Eric Harland, John Patitucci, Chris Potter & Marcus Printup) Charlie Peacock - 88 Tons of Awesome
Millions have been impacted by Charlie Peacock's Grammy Award-winning production and songwriting work. A smaller, but devoted group has been with him since his days as a Sacramento-based alternative pop artist and member of the progressive Exit Records scene. But very few have ever heard the work he did prior to his 1983 debut, Lie Down In The Grass, until now. On the heels of the release of his expansive and revealing memoir Roots and Rhythm, Peacock just dropped a never-before-heard collection of songs he recorded in 1980 and 81 with the legendary rock producer David Kahne (later named among the 500 most important Rock Producers by Rolling Stone for his work with Regina Spektor, The Bangles, Paul McCartney, Fishbone, Lana Del Rey, Springsteen, Tony Bennett, Stevie Nicks and others.) The Kahne Sessions reveals a young diamond in the rough, and on this special episode Charlie takes us back to those early days in his career and puts it all into context. And there is a LOT more where this comes from. This conversation, recorded in person in Charlie's home studio, covered everything from his earliest days as a musician, to the transformation sobriety and faith brought to his work, to concerns he has over the ways commodification, dehumanization, and artificial intelligence are impacting the way today's artists are engaging with the work. That will all be coming soon, but we wanted to get THIS part - celebrating the release of The Kahne Sessions out to you right away. Be sure to subscribe to the show on whichever platform you prefer so you don't miss a beat. And if you missed our very first episode - way back in 2019 - it featured none other than Charlie Peacock. You can find that show HERE . For more information, including a list of all of the songs used on this episode, visit the show notes page at TrueTunes.com/CPKahneSessions If you want to support the show, please join our Patreon community or drop us a one-time tip and check out our MERCH! Follow Charlie on Substack HERE: https://charliepeacock.substack.com/
In the final installment of our "True Tunes Live at Audiofeed 2025" series of 45RPM episodes, we listen in on John J. Thompson's speaking session dubbed "The Sound of Revolution." What does revolution sound like? What is countercultural music all about? This spirited conversation with a roomful of aspiring radicals provided some actionable perspective. (You'll have to forgive the challenging sound quality on this one. The tech was not in our favor. But it sounds much better than the boombox recordings we used to treasure after going to seminars at Cornerstone back in the day.) For more information, including a list of all of the songs used in this episode, visit the show notes page at TrueTunes.com/SoundOfRev If you want to support the show, please join our Patreon community or drop us a one-time tip and check out our MERCH!
Chuck Girard, one of the architects of Jesus Music and founder of the band Love Song, recently passed away at the age of 81 after a battle with cancer. On this special episode of the podcast, we visit with fellow Jesus Music veteran, Alex MacDougall, who recently survived a very close call with esophageal cancer, and our own Bruce Brown, who is in the midst of chemo as he edits this very episode. We also hear from Terry Scott Taylor via a special clip from the upcoming documentary "Us Kids" about the role Chuck and Love Song played in his own musical story. Might there be some wisdom in the ancient Christian practice of "memento mori" in times such as these? Did Chuck Girard leave us a song for this very moment fifty years ago? For more information, including a list of all of the amazing (and in some cases extremely rare) music used in this episode, visit the show notes page at TrueTunes.com/Girard . If you want to support the show, please join our Patreon community or drop us a one-time tip and check out our MERCH!
In part three (of four) of our "True Tunes Live at Audiofeed 2025" series of 45RPM episodes, we open the floor for questions about anything! The panel included Gileah Taylor, Chris Taylor, Matt Hammitt, and JJT. For more information about Gileah visit Gileah.com (and be sure to check out her Bandcamp store .) For more information about Matt Hammitt, check out his website: https://matthammitt.com/ For more information, including a list of all of the songs used in this episode, visit the show notes page at TrueTunes.com/AudioFeedAMA If you want to support the show, please join our Patreon community or drop us a one-time tip and check out our MERCH!
In part two (of four) of our "True Tunes Live at Audiofeed 2025" series of 45RPM episodes, we visit with Matt Hammitt, former frontman of the rock group Sanctus Real and currently ramping up a new band, Lo Cloud. Hammitt joined JJT and a small live audience in the "Subculture Tent" for a conversation before his performance to discuss growing up in the rock and roll scene, choosing to walk away, and his return. For more information about Matt Hammitt, check out his website: https://matthammitt.com/ For more information, including a list of all of the songs used in this episode, visit the show notes page at TrueTunes.com/Hammitt If you want to support the show, please join our Patreon community or drop us a one-time tip and check out our MERCH!
In part one (of four) of our "True Tunes Live at Audiofeed 2025" series of 45RPM episodes we visit with one of our favorite independent artists, Gileah Taylor. The Velvet Blue Music artist joined JJT and a small live audience in the "Subculture Tent" for a conversation before her performance later that night. For more information about Gileah visit Gileah.com (and be sure to check out her Bandcamp store .) For more information, including a list of all of the songs used in this episode, visit the show notes page at TrueTunes.com/Gileah. If you want to support the show, please join our Patreon community or drop us a one-time tip and check out our MERCH!
The public may best know Phil Madeira as an ace-in-the-hole sideman for high-profile Americana artists like Emmylou Harris, while Nashville insiders know him as a songwriter's writer and a go-to studio musician as well. While his career goes back well over 50 years, over the last decade or so, Madeira has released a series of superb, highly-focused solo albums and creative collaborations that have focused on various aspects of his musical, lyrical, and overall artistic skillsets. On his latest project, Falcon, (releasing July 18), Madeira combines all of these elements seamlessly. It presents as a sort of "Best Of Phil Madeira" project, that happens to be comprised of all new tunes. On this episode we catch up with Madeira to hear about Falcon in detail, and how it fits into his larger body of work. We will also peek behind the curtain a bit, into the deeper personal work this music reflects in the life and heart of the artist. For more info visit the full show notes page at TrueTunes.com/Falcon and to learn more about Phil Madeira find his website at PhilMadeira.net . If you want to support the show, please join our Patreon community or drop us a one-time tip and check out our MERCH!
The Tony Award-winning musical Hadestown is a fantastic retelling of the myths of Orpheus’ journey to the Underworld to rescue Eurydice alongside the marriage of Hades and Persephone, set amidst the visual and musical elements of New Orleans during the 1920s and 1930s. On this episode, we visit with guitarist, songwriter, and producer Sam Wade , who has been on the road with the traveling version of this stunning musical for most of the last year and will continue in that role again next year. Wade has been a friend and collaborator of ours for a few years. He has produced a few songs for my wife, Michelle Lynn Thompson , including her song “Riptide.” (Listen closely for an instrumental snippet in the background of this episode.) He will also be joining me (JJT) for my set at the Audiofeed festival this summer and backing up Michelle for hers as well. We jumped at the chance to see him and the rest of the company in action with Hadestown when they came through Chattanooga recently, and to catch up with him to see what it’s been like to travel with a production like this. For more information, including a list of all of the songs used in this episode, visit the show notes page at TrueTunes.com/Hadestown If you want to support the show, please join our Patreon community or drop us a one-time tip and check out our MERCH!
King's X, the band formed by bassist, songwriter, and vocalist Dug Pinnick, guitarist Ty Tabor, and drummer Jerry Gaskill roughly 40 years ago, has pushed musical, lyrical, and even technological boundaries since its debut. Before that, these musical adventurers brushed up against the Christian music subculture as members of Phil Keaggy's band and others. But despite their early connection to the Jesus Movement - or perhaps because of it - they decided to specifically avoid any connection to the Christian music market when they formed King's X. Thousands of Christian rock fans nonetheless embraced them, parsing the imagery in their lyrics and wondering where they were coming from. 35 years into their journey, King's X continues to innovate in the studio and rock on the stage. Listen in as Dug reflects on a long and - at times heartbreaking life in hard rock. Find the full show notes (including a list of all songs used on this episode) at TrueTunes.com/KingsX .
John Fischer was making "Jesus Music" in the mid-1960s - before it was even a "thing." At a recent live event in Fullerton California, JJT invited Fischer to join the conversation and talk about those early countercultural days and how it all came together. Before there was an industry, a genre, or even a movement, there were kids with guitars and a desire to experience God in a meaningful, tangible way. Fischer went on to become one of the accidental innovators of a new style of music. But when the counterculture became a subculture - and a movement became a market - he never lost that fire in his belly. What might the counterculture of the 60s have to tell us about our troubled times today - and what might a new Jesus Movement look - and sound - like if it was to break out now? Find John Fischer's website HERE. For full Show Notes (include a list of the songs featured on this episode) visit TrueTunes.com/Fischer or click HERE . If you want to support the show, please join our Patreon community or drop us a one-time tip and check out our MERCH!
We've loved Robert Deeble for a long time around here. His brand of thoughtful alternative folk fit right in with artists like Over The Rhine, Vigilantes of Love, Innocence Mission, and Victoria Williams - and his side gig as a graphic artist lent a gorgeous visual perspective to all of his releases. His output has slowed over the last couple of decades as he became a successful psychologist and built a thriving practice in Oregon. So it was very good news indeed when we heard that he was about to release a new album - produced by Ric Hordinski no less! With many of us feeling more than a little on edge these days, we thought a touch-base with our favorite songsmith-turned-therapist was long overdue. In this special @45RPM episode of the show we focus on clips of JJT's full conversation with Robert. These bits focus on his new album - the beautiful collection entitled The Space Between Us that is currently seeking support via Kickstarter for a vinyl and CD release. And if you dig this, you can head over to OUR PATREON PAGE to hear the REST OF THE STORY! Patreon now allows a "free membership" - and it would be awesome if you would take a minute to sign up (for free) and take a listen. We will be posting more special content exclusively on that page (and even more on the paid side) from now on! And don't forget to head over to Kickstarter and back Robert's awesome project! For full show notes visit TrueTunes.com/deeble
Chris Taylor is a lifer. His first bands, (Windows and Love Coma,) were covered by True Tunes when we were just getting started back in the early 90s. While his bandmate Matt Slocum went on to form the alternative pop group Sixpence None The Richer, Taylor continued to release projects as Love Coma and as a solo artist. He also became an accomplished painter along the way. Now, almost 35 years later, Taylor continues to break new artistic ground. His most recent Love Coma project (which included contributions by Slocum) was a stunner, and his brand new solo project - "I Carry The Flame" may be his best work yet. You may have heard Taylor when he appeared on our Bruce Cockburn episode, but this time it's all about him, his longevity, and how he keeps the flame burning after all these years. PLUS we spin the new EP "Rosemary Hill" by Sixpence None The Richer on the Jukebox! For more info visit the full show notes page at TrueTunes.com/TaylorFlame. If you want to support the show, please join our Patreon community or drop us a one-time tip and check out our MERCH!
Derri Daugherty, Steve Hindalong, and Dan Michaels surprised all of us when THE CHOIR dropped a fully-realized, manufactured, and ready-to-ship ambient instrumental project called Translucent in late 2024. Although the band has been incorporating ambient elements in their music since the 80s, this was a first for them. Join us as we discuss how Translucent came together, how the band approaches this element of their sound, and more. Find the show notes for this episode HERE . (Or go to truetunes.com/translucent) If you missed our in-depth, career-spanning conversation with The Choir, find it HERE . We also did a deep dive into their classic album CHASE THE KANGAROO ! For more about ambient music, don't miss our conversation with Marc Byrd of Hammock. If you want to support the show, please join our Patreon community or drop us a one-time tip and check out our MERCH!
True Tunes Podcast host John J. Thompson recently celebrated the "soft-release" of his new novel, "The Ballad of the Lost Dogs of East Nashville," with live events at Vinyl Tap in East Nashville and The Wheaton Public Library in the Chicago area. This special edition features clips from both events as JJT takes questions from Fr. Preston Sharpe of Sacrament Church (and guests) in Nashville, and Jeff Elbel (Chicago Sun-Times, Illinois Entertainer) in Wheaton. The episode also features a chapter from the fully produced audiobook and a bit of the original song "Sweet Marianne" by JJT featuring Phil Keaggy and Jeff Taylor. The book is available in print, digital, and audio form at most East Nashville record stores and bookstores and at LostPerros.com. For more info, full show notes, and photos from these events, visit TrueTunes.com/BalladLive
There’s a new “melancholy Christmas musical” to add to your list of indie film favorites, and when we had a chance to see an advance screening, we immediately knew that this story was YOUR kind of story. A hard-working, veteran singer-songwriter is trying to make it through to the end of another long year, wondering if it is time to lay down the dream. Boy does this one strike close to home. Long December marks the acting debut of Stephen Williams of the band Jude Moses and sideman for the John Mark McMillan band. (McMillan also has a very convincing role in the film.) The film co-stars Charley Koontz (“Community,” “The Boys”), Emily Althaus (“Orange is the New Black,” “Handmaid’s Tale”), and Maximiliano Hernandez (“Avengers: Endgame,” “Sicario”). The soundtrack is available on all streaming platforms right now, and the film premiers on VOD platforms on November 12th. Join JJT as he sits down with writer/director Thomas Torrey to hear about the origin of the story, the music, and the production. (And thanks to friend of the show, Chris White of Electric Jesus fame for the tip-off on this one.) If you want to support the show, please join our Patreon community or drop us a one-time tip and check out our MERCH!
6-time Grammy winner Russ Taff’s voice has defined the emotional potential of Gospel music for over half a century. His perfectly raspy tenor transcends genre and era, first as the lead vocalist for Gospel legends The Imperials, then as a phenomenally successful solo artist. That legacy now takes on a whole new depth as Taff unveils Cover Story , a collection of rock, soul, and Americana songs that resonate deeply with the struggles he has privately endured throughout his life onstage. Longtime fans may be surprised to find the Gospel singer interpreting tunes by The National, Prince, Blind Willie Johnson, Bob Dylan, U2, Duran Duran, Bill Withers, Paul Simon, and others. However, students of Roots Gospel, Americana, Soul, and Blues will immediately see the thread. These are songs of spiritual survival. (Don't miss executive producer Steve Taylor’s Kickstarter campaign to release the project on vinyl and raise funds to promote it to a wide audience.) In a surprising – and risky – move for a Gospel singer, Taff decided to go public with his long struggle with addiction, recovery, relapse, and ultimate inner healing via the revealing 2018 documentary Russ Taff: I Still Believe . Instead of ending his career singing in churches and at Bill Gaither’s Homecoming events, audiences responded with deep appreciation for his candor and humility. A recent conversation on the recovery-themed Soft White Underbelly YouTube channel is currently generating similar enthusiasm. Taff, now 18 years sober and free of the need to hide anything, is more excited than ever to share music – and his story – with audiences around the country and the world. Taylor, (the artist, professor, songwriter, producer, and filmmaker connected to projects by Sixpence None The Richer, Newsboys, Chevelle, and others) had pulled his critically acclaimed but ill-fated mainstream rock band Chagall Guevara (MCA) together for a one-time reunion show at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium. A special post-show afterparty at Jack White’s Blue Room included an on-stage jam with several musical luminaries, including Taff (who had worked with Chagall members Lynn Nichols and Dave Perkins on several projects.) Taff’s impromptu jam on Charlie Peacock’s “Down In The Lowlands” thrilled the small crowd. Hearing Taff slay those songs, Taylor remembered an idea his longtime friend, bandmate, and musical collaborator John Mark Painter had suggested much earlier. What if they took their old friend into a recording studio with a slate of great songs and captured that raw, guttural energy and emotional honesty? They have now done just that. We are thrilled to sit down with Taff, Taylor, and Painter on this very special episode of the podcast, and to give our audience a first listen to Cover Story. BACK the Kickstarter Campaign HERE (closes September 9th, 2024) For the full list of songs, links, and a video of the infamous "Down In The Lowlands" jam at Jack White's Blue room, see the full Show Notes at TrueTunes.com/Russ Get all of the info about host John J Thompson’s new novel “The Ballad of the Lost Dogs of East Nashville” at TrueTunes.com/ballad. If you want to support the show, please join our Patreon community or drop us a one-time tip and check out our NEW MERCH!
There’s nothing like a relaxed, sit-down conversation – especially when discussing complicated things like faith, love, and art. True Tunes is committed to long-form dialogue in a world that is increasingly (and tragically) defined and governed by social media metrics and pithy one-liners. This conversation with Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Jennifer Knapp may be our longest yet – but we wouldn’t have it any other way. Knapp has come a long way since her debut LP, Kansas, was certified Gold 25 years ago. She followed that with two more critically acclaimed and commercially successful LPs in the Christian music market and earned increased respect and opportunities to share her craft on mainstream stages. She gathered two Grammy nominations and sold a million albums in three years, but things were not well behind the scenes. In 2002, after fulfilling her contractual obligations, Jennifer dropped out of the scene, disconnected from the industry, and moved to Australia. After an eight-year hiatus and coming out as gay, Knapp returned in 2010. Jennifer recently revisited her debut, re-recording Kansas with producer Steve Hindalong to celebrate its 25th anniversary. On this episode of the podcast, Knapp visits John and Michelle Thompson in their East Nashville home to talk about her journey, her faith, and what it has been like to go back to Kansas. We’ll also hear a bit from Hindalong about how the project came together. Find the full song list and more at TrueTunes.com/Knapp If you want to support the show, please join our Patreon community or drop us a one-time tip and check out our NEW MERCH!
Ranking source
Apple Podcasts rankings via the Mato Topic Intelligence Platform.
Observed September 21, 2026. Cached outside the daily freshness window; the positions keep the date they were taken on.
Apple and Apple Podcasts are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
Pairs with
Bring this source into Mato to read its transferable patterns, then turn them into an original show for your own audience.