Tom Dolan has been part of the Philadelphia music scene for many years, with different bands, along the way, including the ska- funk band The Freakin's cads. Here , we talk about his latest project, a unique and compelling recording called "Civil War Stories " . You can find it streaming under the name "The Old High Hat". Tom , along with music producer and songwriter Brian Bricklin , created a very original and sonically, stunning album, combining characters and stories from the Civil War era, set to melodic and musically thrilling songs. The songs feature fantastic and diverse vocalists including : Ben Arnold , Tom Gilliam, Scott Bricklin , Isabelle Gottfried, Harrison Black and Silas Freeman. The atmosphere is full of lush melodies , with a fusion of traditional instruments and loops that make for a very fun and involving listening experience.

Hear the idea behind the project, the recording process, and you get to hear parts of the actual songs as well. Who says history and rock music can't go together?

Maya Ogea ( pronounced oh - jay) already has many years of experience in performing and writing songs , her tenacity and work ethic is very inspiring . This is an exciting time for her as she is about to release her new single called " holding on " with collaborator Kyle Szalay on July 19, 2025, as well as her own songs by at the end of the year, Denver , Nashville , studying music and songs structure for 4 hours a day, busking on the streets , playing in clubs - these are all part of the musical trajectory of maya , with an astonishing voice that combines feeling with strength and vulnerability that is impressive in its impact .

It's exciting to hear her story and her dedication to her art - I'm very interested to see how her career , music and life will play out .....

Find her on instagram , Facebook and her website- and look for " holding on " on streaming platforms on 7/19/25.

This Time I get to talk to a huge inspiration to for me for over 30 years . Joan Jones has graced my life with her beautiful voice, lyrics, melodies, and songs and I am so lucky to hear her tell us her story in her own words, to go over specific songs, to hear her trajectory from a Hollywood high schooler to her early band life , forming Far Cry with David Russo, evolving into " sun 60 " which made three extra extraordinary albums in the early to mid 90's , and toured extensively to support them . A very varied style of songwriting,, From real scorching rockers to softer ones , with great lyrics and orchestration that still hold up today . Joan talks about making those records , some specific songs that I point to, what it was like, being on the road, and the evolvement of each record.

She tells us what it was like afterwards, to build her own songwriting career, which continues until today with new music being released frequently

Check the sun 60 records out on Spotify , iTunes , and YouTube , and check out her releases mostly on her website www.clubjoan.com .

You can also be up-to-date with her on Instagram as well. Definitely an amazing voice and songwriter that deserves recognition.

Dana Marisa Schoenfeld has created, directed, written and starred in a great first season of her series " East". She has managed to create a character named Ella who is so endearing in her pursuit of a better life , with NewYork and the entertainment industry serving as her background and her search for finding herself, all done with very witty dialogue and funny, and sometimes heartbreaking situations. She talks about how she created the show, how she managed to get it together , the challenges of making it happen , Acting and the writing process, and the great team she assembled to make such a fun and memorable show . The pilot episode is free on YouTube , and the rest of the season can be watched on www.easttheseries.com. Very inspiring to hear how she has juggled writing, directing, Acting, and editing to make the show what it is. Here!s hoping for for a second season !

Throughout the history of song, there has always been a beauty to melancholy. Especially if it's wrapped up in a beautiful melody.. Such is the case with David Upp, who has been working on his first album in Nashville for many years. Songs born out of grief over loss of parents, and coming to terms with a loss of a romantic partner- are all fuel for these beautiful and cathartic sounds that David has created. We discuss how are the songs evolved , the process of recording them, and we get to hear a little bit of a few of them, " goodbye true blue " , "lonesome Dove " , and " miss your fire " .., the album is not released yet as of June 2025, but a few songs are out on streaming services.

We discussed what it's like to be a new songwriter in Nashville, the steps that it takes to get started , how ADD can be a blessing and a curse , musical influences, and how to live with a sense of grief and loss . Find him easily on instagram and Spotify ....

I was lucky enough to see a wonderful production at Mccarter theatre in Princeton called " Legacy of Light " - and here I get to talk to two of the wonderful actors in it ,Lenne Klingaman and Allen Gilmore . They tell me about their experience doing the play, what it was like for them to act together., some of their process as actors, their trajectory, the ups and downs of being an actor, what they do to help them be in the moment of acting on stage, some memorization tricks, community theater vs professional theater, what they feel like before they go on stage , and the beauty of doing live theatre . This conversation literally pulls the curtain of what it's like to be a professional actor working today ..

Vanessa Lively's music is not just interesting melodies, not just interesting lyrics, it's a journey of sheer beauty and poetry that is both healing and comforting at the same time. It's original yet familiar , beautiful but not obvious , it's grounding and uplifting in a very organic way. Hear her thoughts on creativity , the value of rituals , how to get over your critical voice, her trajectory in music and in her life, the evaluation of her creative process, and living purposely as an artist for herself and for her community...

There is a lot to learn from Toni Nagy, one of the most authentic and unique artists that I've ever met. She has so many facets that all lead up to unique self expression and thought provoking insight into the world around us - she is a stand-up comedian, writer, and content creator, most known for her visual videos, where she interpretive dances, her philosophies while participating, gyrating, and questioning culture. She has over 600,000 followers on various social media platforms. Hear her talk about her trajectory, how she uses the mind-body connection to get her points across, and how thinking outside the box is essential for authentic expression and ultimately, radical compassion .