Studio Musician Academy
The studio musician academy podcast explores the career paths and creative methods of the top instrumentalists in the recording industry. We are making expert mentorship available to every musician who wants to expand their career. We pull back the curtain to take you on the other side of the glass and inside the creative minds of today's top studio musicians. From getting the gig, to creating the sound and playing the part, learn how the masters have built their careers by serving the song in their own, unique ways.
Episodes
39 episodes
Jerry Roe - Drummer/Bassist (Luke Combs, Post Malone, Dolly Parton)
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 ...
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41:33
JIMMY WALLACE - KEYBOARD (THE WALLFLOWERS, JOE WALSH, MIRANDA LAMBERT)
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 W...
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36:34
Terence F. Clark - Drummer (Robert Cray, Sheryl Crow, Lauren Diagle)
Today’s guest is Terence F. Clark. Terence is a Grammy Nominated drummer, producer, composer and artist. Following the motto of “There’s not a right way, but there is a wrong way,” Terence has combined his technical skill with an artist-first m...
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57:41
B. JAMES LOWRY - Guitar (Tim McGraw, Pretty Lights, Jewel)
Today’s guest is B James Lowry! B James is a Nashville based guitarist, composer, and producer. He’s sat in the coveted guitar chair on recordings for artists like Tim McGraw, Luke Bryan, Pretty Lights, Jewel, and even the Chipmunks! <...
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30:46
Kent Wells - Producer (Dolly Parton, Reba, Kenny Rogers)
Today’s guest is Kent Wells. A guitar player, producer, studio owner, and songwriter, Kent’s road case bumper sticker is “Enjoy the climb.” Over a 30+ year, he has summited the peaks of every aspect of the recording industry. Kent b...
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28:01
MIKE BRIGNARDELLO - BASS (REBA, BLAKE SHELTON, BILLY RAY CYRUS)
Todays guest is Mike Brignardello. Mike has been holding down the groove as a first call session Bass player for over 40 years. Mike’s career journey started in his soulful hometown of Memphis. He then hit the road with Christian acts, DeGarmo ...
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26:35
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Bryan Sutton - Acoustic Gutar (Rick Skaggs, Taylor Swift, Garth Brooks)
If you’ve ever seen or heard a guitar picking unicorn, you were probably witnessing the work of Bryan Sutton. While our brief introduction could barely scratch the surface of covering the immense accomplishments of one of the most sought after ...
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51:16
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Kris Donegan - Guitar (Darius Rucker, Shania Twain, Colbie Caillat
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 Dari...
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40:42
Steve Brewster- Drums (Dierks Bentley, Faith Hill, Chicago)
Todays guest is first call, Nashville session drummer, Steve Brewster. Over the past 30+ years, Steve has lended his eclectic approach on the drum set to records for a vast array of artists such as Richard Marx, Faith Hill, Dierks Bentley, Mich...
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40:19
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Mike Waldron - Guitar (Martina McBride, Lee Ann Womack, Jon Bon Jovi)
Todays guest is Mike Waldron. Mike has been picking through major tours and studio sessions for over 30 years. As a first call guitar player, he’s supported artists like Martina McBride, Lee Ann Womack, Luke Combs, and Hillary Scott. <...
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40:42
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Greg Morrow- Drummer (Dixie Chicks, Bob Seger, Luke Bryan)
Greg Morrow has dominated the drum chair in Nashville record sessions for nearly 3 decades. He’s laid the groove for artists spanning from Deana Carter and Steve Earl to Garth Brooks and Dixie Chicks to Luke Combs and Jon Pardi. Greg is a two t...
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44:01
TODD LOMBARDO (KACEY MUSGRAVES, NIALL HORAN, MORGAN WALLEN)
Todays Guest is Todd Lombardo! Todd’s career has been a masterful balancing act of execution as a first call studio musician, songwriter and producer. His catalog of recording credits have amassed over 3 billion streams. He’s earne...
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33:13
Jeffery Roach - (Tim McGraw, Ne-Yo, Giorgio Moroder)
Today’s guest is Jeff Roach! Jeff is a phenomenal keyboardist, and arguably one of the best sound design/synth programmers out there. The man doesn’t even own Omnisphere. That’s how much of a badass he is. Always a great energ...
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41:51
Tom Bukovac- Guitarist (Steve Nicks, Willie Nelson, Joe Walsh)
Today's guest is Tom Bukovac. If you're unaware of this man, strap in. Yes, he's played on everything. Yes, he's toured with Joe Walsh, Faith Hill, Ann Wilson, and more. And yes, he's handsome. Most importantly however, he cares fo...
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Episode 26
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46:12
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Dylan Wissing- Drummer (Alicia Keys, Drake, Jay Z, Kanye West)
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 thi...
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Season 1
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Episode 25
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38:41
Caroline Jones- Singer/Songwriter (Zac Brown Band)
Today’s guest is Caroline Jones. Caroline is a multi-instrumentalist and multi-genre singer songwriter. Her latest solo project reached #4 on the iTunes country charts. She’s been featured on the Grand Ole Opry, The Tonight Show, The Kelly Clar...
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Episode 24
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36:49
Jenee Fleenor- Fiddle (Jon Pardi, Steven Tyler, Blake Shelton)
Today's guest is Jenee Fleenor! Jenee is a first call fiddle player, songwriter, vocalist, and recording artist. She is a 4 time CMA musician of the year award winner, and the first woman to be nominated for the award. In 2019, Jenee was the fi...
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Season 1
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Episode 23
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1:23:18
Eli Beaird- Bassist (Willie Nelson, James Bay, Shawn Mendez)
Today's guest is Eli Beaird!Eli is a first call session bass player and runs Beaird Music Group, one of Nashville’s most in demand demo studios. Eli is an ACM Bass Player of the Year Nominee and his bass laying can be heard on records f...
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Season 22
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1:15:13
Steve Mackey- Bassist (Luke Combs, Dolly Parton, The Wallflowers)
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 Wallflowe...
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Episode 21
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43:21
Adam Shoenfeld- Guitarist (Big & Rich, Jason Aldean, Tim McGraw)
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 Bi...
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Episode 20
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1:20:40
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Nir Z- Drummer (Chris Cornell, Carrie Underwood, John Mayer)
Nir has circled the globe in his journey to becoming one of the industry's most in demand session drummers. Beginning his career in his home country of Israel, continuing on to New York City, and then finally landing in his current home base of...
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Episode 19
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42:49
Derek Wells- Guitarist (Dolly Parton, Kenny Chesney, Maren Morris)
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 g...
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Episode 18
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48:29
John Willis- Guitarist (Taylor Swift, India Aria, Jewel)
John is a first call guitarist, songwriter, and producer based in Nashville, Tennessee. Raised in Louisiana, John found his calling for guitar picking at an early age, and after discovering the roll of studio musicians, he traveled...
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Episode 17
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44:19
Mark Hill- Bassist (Kelly Clarkson, Eric Church, Luke Bryan)
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 p...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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48:20
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Alex Wright- Keys/Piano (Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Kane Brown)
Today's guest is Alex Wright!Alex has quickly become one of Nashville’s first call Keyboard players. After graduating from Berkley College of Music and moving to Nashville in pursuit of a career on the business side of musi...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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42:19
