In this episode of Maxwell’s Iowa CoffeeCast, Maxwell sits down with Iowa-based singer-songwriter Robert Deitch—a craftsman of lyrics and emotion whose journey from Nashville to the Midwest is as powerful as his music. Together, they unpack Deitch’s latest release, “Bullet Holes”—a haunting, redemptive song about addiction, empathy, and healing. Featuring backing vocals from Mary Gauthier, the track has quickly become Deitch’s most impactful work, amassing thousands of views and deeply personal listener responses from those who have faced addiction themselves.

Robert opens up about the song’s evolution, revealing that it took years and a moment of raw honesty to find its center. “Mary told me, ‘You know what two lines they are—you’re just not being honest yet.’ Once I found that truth, the song revealed itself.” That lyric—“a hurt as deep as the secrets I’ve never told”—became the heartbeat of the song.

Maxwell and Robert trace his remarkable path through Nashville’s songwriting scene, where he wrote with top-tier artists while still living in Iowa, an almost unheard-of arrangement. Deitch describes the hierarchy of the writers’ rooms, the sting of songs “on hold” for stars like Kenny Rogers or Garth Brooks, and the humility that comes from near misses. They also discuss the bittersweet inspiration behind his song “Goodbye Nashville,” a tender farewell to the city he once loved like “the other woman.”

In this episode of Maxwell’s Iowa CoffeeCast, Maxwell sits down with two Iowa musical powerhouses — Brandon Findlay and Tina Haase Findlay — to talk about their bold new collaborative project, The Babel Kind, a genre-bending original musical that weaves together love, loss, mystery, and music. What began as an MFA thesis at Lindenwood University has evolved into a fully realized stage work, and now, a live soundtrack recording event that will bring together some of Iowa’s finest musicians and actors on October 19th at Tallgrass Theatre Company in West Des Moines.

As Brandon shares, The Babel Kind began as a collection of vignettes and short stories — until Tina suggested shaping it into a jukebox-style musical using the couple’s extensive song catalog. That spark set everything in motion. The resulting story — set in the fictional Iowa town of Bright Chapel — unfolds as what Brandon describes as “a murder mystery wrapped around a love story in the form of a jukebox musical.” Yet at its heart, it’s a deeply human reflection on love, grief, and the choices that define us.

Tina and Brandon, celebrating 21 years of music and marriage, open up about how their shared songwriting history became the emotional backbone of this new piece. Many of the songs featured in The Babel Kind were written across decades of life together — tunes of hope, heartbreak, and healing that now find fresh meaning within the play’s dramatic arc. “It’s yours, mine, and ours,” Tina says, describing how the songs seemed destined to live again inside this story.

Listeners also get an inside look at the live soundtrack event at Tallgrass Theatre, which blends concert, theatre, and storytelling. The evening will feature live performances of the songs alongside monologues from the play, read by surprise guests from the Des Moines theatre community. Attendees will even become part of the official recording — their presence woven into the album’s live soundscape.

The conversation also touches on deeper creative questions: the enduring power of theatre in an age of artificial intelligence, the intersection between Iowa’s music and theatre scenes, and the importance of human expression in storytelling. Brandon reflects on art’s ability to spark self-discovery: “Art should make us better human beings,” he says. “The only way to do that is to ask ourselves: do we like who we are?”

It’s a soulful and inspiring conversation about creativity, collaboration, and the Iowa artists daring to bring something wholly original to life. Don’t miss the chance to witness it firsthand — or to hear how a love story, a community, and a collection of songs have become something far greater: The Babel Kind.

In this episode of Maxwell’s Iowa CoffeeCast, I sit down with Pritesh Patel, the owner of Hotel Pommier in Indianola and Chariton, Iowa. Pritesh’s journey from growing up in a motel to rebranding and revitalizing independent hotels is as much a story of grit as it is of vision.

Pritesh’s family emigrated from the UK to the U.S. in 1999, moving straight into a motel where his parents worked as live-in managers. He recalls helping fold towels and clean rooms on weekends, squeezing in soccer games between laundry runs. His parents later bought their own motels, including the former Apple Tree Inn in Indianola, while instilling in him a relentless work ethic and an appreciation for self-employment.

After college, Pritesh spent a decade in the corporate world before returning in 2019 to take over the family business. He made it clear to his parents that if he was going to run the operation, he needed to be the decision-maker. That shift set the stage for bold moves—taking on significant renovation debt, rebranding the hotel to “Pommier” (French for apple tree), and building a brand identity grounded in community connection.

The conversation covers how COVID-19 hit mid-renovation, with cancellations pouring in from opera fans, sports teams, and events like the Balloon Classic. One loyal guest even paid for a stay they couldn’t take, a gesture that still moves Pritesh. He explains why rebranding was key—not just for marketing but to escape the drag of old online reviews—and how branding exercises shaped the hotel’s guest promise and values.

Pritesh also shares his philosophy on amenities, swapping underused fitness centers for game rooms and patios, and even adding a pickleball court in Chariton that locals can rent. These choices aren’t just about guest experience—they invite the community into the space, creating word-of-mouth ambassadors.

We talk about the economics of running independent hotels, the advantages over chains, and why mid-size Iowa towns are ripe for transformation. Pritesh emphasizes the value of hiring the right people, paying competitive wages, and offering benefits like 401(k) matches to compete with big employers.

As we wrap up, Pritesh reflects on planting his business roots in Iowa: the friendliness, the pace of life, and the community support that makes ambitious projects possible. His story is a testament to blending entrepreneurial courage with a deep respect for place—a combination that’s breathing new life into local hospitality.