Season 10 ~ Episode 6, of the CloudwatcherUno Podcast features the up and coming Donny Van Slee out on Friday 7th April 2023.
Raised in Florida but now living in Nashville, Donny is the only licensed chiropractor making his mark in the Nashville music scene.
We talk about his early years, his decision to reach out to the “World-Famous Tootsies Orchid Lounge” where after an audition they promptly hired him, through to being inspired by his peers such as Zach Bryan to explore his passion for music.
“Sip on Me” | Donny Van Slee
So come enjoy the conversation with Donny and CloudwatcherUno on @applepodcasts @spotifypodcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts or click the link below.
Malin Pettersen talks with CloudwatcherUno for S10 Ep 5 of the podcast. We hear about the inspiration that drives Malin’s music and her albums. From going to Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts , where she studied Popular Music and Sound Technology it was a great foundation for her becoming a musician. Growing up listening to Iris Dement, Gillian Welch and others drove her need to communicate through melodies, music and an outlet for her thoughts and be able to put these into her songs.
At 3 and half years Malin went to dancing school, she learnt about performing on stage but it didn’t matter if mistakes were made or lyrics forgotten. The most important thing that matters most is to go on stage, play the music together and share her songs and have fun with friends on stage. Growing up Malin found that others didn’t appreciate her need to express herself through talking and communicating her thoughts and channelled this energy into her music instead.
“Queen of the Meadow” by Malin Pettersen
Malin will be revisiting the music of her youth and Justin Timberlake, TLC, Destiny’s Child by consciously using these formative listening experiences to influence the sound of her new album. The new album is being produced and mixed as we speak and will be a departure sonically from her last album Wildhorse with R&B, Pop and other aural adventures added to her new album’s soundscape.
Malin Pettersen
Being with Die With Your Boots On Records gives Malin the freedom that she wants to express herself and would rather be playing at intimate venues so that she connects with the right people who will appreciate her music. Malin has been fortunate to meet people who have supported her through her music, be a good person who cares about others and a dedicated mother to her children. Malin acknowledge the support of her mother Bente Helenesdatter Pettersen and her partner in enabling her to pursue her dreams as an artist.
“California” by Malin Pettersen
Malin will be playing at static roots festival and The Long Road Festival and a release tour to celebrate the new album in November 2023. Click below to join in with the conversation with CloudwatcherUno and Natalie Prauser. Also streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podcast Addict or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
This is the CloudwatcherUno S8 Finale ~ Episode 10 with Jonathan Terrell and it’s a fantastic way to end the current season. JT is the ultimate renaissance artist he’s a cosmic cowboy, singer songwriter, film director, photographer and DJ.
“I Know” by Jonathan Terrell
We talk about his upcoming EP, “A Couple 2, 3,” his singles “Better For You” and “I Know”. His signing with Range Records @range.records Sharing his experiences touring with Midland most recently in Europe. When Jonathan’s not doing a million and one creative things all at the same time he’s finding time to playing golf with @markaroo (lead singer of Midland) and the one and only Arkansas troubadour @dylanearl.music
Photo: Mike Dunn
The EP comes out on September 9th 2022 although the final mix was done in January of this year. JT is excited to get this music out to the world. It’s a big step forward musically from his previous albums “Trails & Stimulation” (2008), “Past The Lights Of Town” (2015) and “Westward” (2020). JT never wants to put out the same album twice and takes inspiration from some of his favourite bands who stayed ahead of the curve and make new sounds to engage the audience.
Photo: CloudwatcherUno
JT is always looking to constantly refresh his music continuously to inspire his music and art and keep it all fresh. JT says that music is his forte and it was only after speaking to another artist who said that he needed to have other artistic endeavours such as photography. So he practised for over 3 years with his camera in hand taking photographs on the road and at his DJ residency. JT’s passion allows his creativity to stretch himself as a artist and musician.
Photo: Neil Perry
We talk about what it means to be a musician in this day and age when singers become Tik Tok famous but it doesn’t translate to the real world of live gigs and touring that traditional artists have gone through as a right of passage into the world of music.
Photo: CloudwatcherUno
JT’s next single release from the EP is “Texas” co-written with Jess Carson from Midland Then JT will be on tour with William Clark Green in September 2022 and will be promoting the EP and the singles out on the road.
Click below to hear the podcast from CloudwatcherUno featuring JT. Also streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podcast Addict or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Stefanie Joyce joins CloudwatcherUno from Nashville where she has carved out a career as a songwriter on Music Row. Stefanie’s 2021 single “Treasure” charted on Billboard@billboardcharts (co-written and performed by @maryheatherhickman ) debuted on country radio and was featured on the Bobby Bones show @bobbybonesshow
Stefanie Joyce – Ballerina, Wordsmith and Country Artist
Now it’s Stefanie’s turn to shine in the spotlight as a singer in her own right. Just listen to her latest single “Presidio” to see why Stefanie should be at the top of your listening playlist. Stefanie describes her music as the love child of red dirt country music meets music row. Stefanie describes how working on Music Row for so many years has resulted in her lyrics being born as linear songs but then using that to produce something more poetic and rough for listening audiences.
“Idle Hands” by Stefanie Joyce
Born in New York, raised in Canada and now living in Nashville, Tennessee, the young Stefanie was in love with storytelling, especially southern literature and used that passion to write songs. In the podcast we talk about how in the country music coming out of Nashville songs are written not by the band performing them but by other artists or in collaboration with other artists. It’s a tradition that is uniquely cultivated within this genre.
Singer Songwriter is a music nerd of the highest order.
Stefanie moved to Nashville initially to join the song writing industry that has grown in Nashville and provides the hits for the biggest names in country music today. Stefanie built up her network and her community and now feels it’s time to release her own songs. A new EP will be released in the summer featuring “Idle Hands” and “Love Thy Neighbor“.
Stefanie is 100 per cent Country through and through.
We talk about her interest in murder ballads and how she came to co-write “Ouachita River” with Mary Heather Hickman and how this subverts the usual tradition by having a male protagonist perish within the song. Murder Ballads originated within the United Kingdom and were brought over by Scottish/Irish immigrants who then used real places within their ballads. This song has been nominated for the Arkansas Country Music Awards 2022 for Best Song, Vocal Duo/ Group and Mary for best Female Vocalist. Nominees (arkansasmusic.org)
“Ouachita River” by Stefanie Joyce with Mary Heather Hickman
Stefanie explains that she wants to be able to play for bigger venues and audiences and when that opportunity comes she’s going to grab it with both hands. Stefanie has played both The Listening Room and Bluebird Cafe and will be doing more Nashville shows and a tour in The Fall of 2022.
Watch out for Stefanie touring in the Fall of 2022
Click below to hear the podcast from CloudwatcherUno featuring Stefanie Joyce. Also streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podcast Addict or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Reverend Billy Hartman blesses us with a fabulous chat on the CloudwatcherUno podcast from his hometown in Stephenville, Texas. We catch up on his plans for his follow up album to “Beans and Cornbread” his 2020 release. We delve into the why’s and how’s of bringing such modern classics as “Cheese and Taters“, “Forrest“, “Railroad Blues” and “Divine Town” to life and the enjoyment of the listening public.
“Divine Town” by Billy Hartman
On a particularly warm and humid day Billy talks about what it means to be an independent artist during the pandemic, living in Texas, becoming an ordained minister of The Universal Life Church, producing music with other musicians such as Zach Pack and by extension James Steinle who’ve now become friends and vice versa. Billy will be recording his new album at Melody Mountain Studios near the house which gives Billy more control around recording the album. Ben Hussey will record and produce the album.
The one and only Reverend Billy Hartman
After a period of self reflection and Billy uses his diary entries as his therapy and as the source for coming up with his lyrics and songs over the last couple of years. Billy’s musical heroes were pretty much the gold standard of country music from George Jones, Webb Pierce and Johnny Cash to name a few. Listening to these artists is what got Billy started on the musical path he’s been on rather than mainstream artists such as Garth Brooks. Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle and Guy Clark‘s “Together at The Bluebird” truly inspired and made Billy strive to capture that level of quality in song writing and musicianship. John Prine also figures largely in Billy’s songcraft.
“Cheese and Taters” by Billy Hartman
What finally pushed Billy into writing was having problems with his high school girlfriend which got Billy started into writing songs and paying attention to alliteration in songs and wordplay. “Sunday Morning, Coming Down” by Kris Kristofferson from 1970 is a perfect example of what Billy is trying to achieve with his own songs.
There’s cool and then there’s Billy Hartman
Looking forward Billy and Zack Pack will be singing together for the Hico Steak Cookoff in Texas on Saturday 21st May 2022. There’s also local clubs that Billy will be playing live with Zack Pack.
Billy Hartman always recommends you smoke ’em if you’ve got them.
Click below to hear the podcast from CloudwatcherUno featuring Billy Hartman. Also streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podcast Addict or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
CloudwatcherUno catches up with Sterling Drake in the middle of his “Roll The Dice” tour promoting the EP of the same name. The EP was supposed to come out on vinyl last October but literally every artist under the sun wants to make physical copies of their songs. Melvin Dillon from Soul Step Records collaborated with Sterling to produce a slice of honky tonk, dancehall and western swing heaven. The orange coloured vinyl is a testament to the quality of production and care that goes into each pressing.
“Roll The Dice” by Sterling Drake
Sterling Drake plays timeless country music following in the footsteps of Bob Wills, Merle Haggard and George Strait. Sterling doesn’t put a label on his music, for him it’s just music that has a cultural heritage. Sterling’s peers such Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson and Tyler Childers are breaking from the perceived notion of what country music should sound like and Sterling is also breaking the mould when it comes to this style of country music.
The Man…The Guitar…The Country…“Roll The Dice” EP by Sterling Drake from Soul Step Records
Sterling likes to catalogue the music that he likes on a public forum playlists on Spotify. As for the future Sterling has many many songs that he’s been saving such as old style country songs with a modern twist, bluegrass music and everything in between.
Sterling is looking to tour in the North West in Spring 2022 and the South East later in the winter. Sterling also plays once a month at the Station Inn in Nashville, Tennessee.
Click below to hear more from the podcast with CloudwatcherUno featuring Sterling Drake. Also streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podcast Addict or wherever you listen to your podcasts
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