Songwriters & Tour Riders

Tulsa band Wilderado had a whirlwind of a summer. They were featured in blockbuster movie Twisters, both on the soundtrack and on screen. Now, fresh off the release of their second album, Talker, they are headlining a sold out show at Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa. Singer Max Rainer talked about the album having a more "Oklahoma sound," as well as a band and crew that all call Oklahoma home.

Red Dirt band The Great Divide came out with a new album in 2022, titled Providence. It was the first album of new, original songs by the original lineup in 20 years. The band returned to Stillwater in 2023 with an additional member of the band, Bryce Conway, who prompted the latest release. In this episode, hear Mike McClure, JJ Lester, and Kelley Green talk about what it was like going into the studio for their latest album, playing concerts in Stillwater, and why they prefer being called the "uncles" of the Red Dirt scene.

This is Songwriters & Tour Riders, a music podcast from KOSU hosted by Matthew Viriyapah. Folksinger Willi Carlisle is not a native of the Arkansas Ozarks. But it's a place that he fell in love with. He has a new album out titled 'Critterland,' partially about trying to find community there and how he tries to share that with people who come to listen to his music. In this episode, hear Carlisle talk about the album, moving to Arkansas, and his favorite Oklahoma story.

This is Songwriters & Tour Riders, a music podcast from KOSU hosted by Matthew Viriyapah. Tulsa's King Cabbage Brass Band is bringing a taste of the Mardi Gras iconic sound to Oklahoma. They released their self-titled album last October and are playing with acclaimed New Orleans outfit, the Soul Rebels, on Thursday, Feb. 1 at Beer City Music Hall in Oklahoma City. In this episode, hear founder Gregory Fallis talk about the culture of Mardi Gras and New Orleans brass band music, and starting his own brass band in Tulsa.

This is Songwriters & Tour Riders, a music podcast from KOSU hosted by Matthew Viriyapah. Punk band Skating Polly has released a double LP titled Chaos County Line. The band is made up of siblings, Kelli and Kurtis Mayo and Peyton Bighorse. After five years, Kelli Mayo said that they wanted to "walk to the separate corner of the map on all of our influences." In this episode, hear Kelli talk about writing a double album, and how after years of being in a band with her siblings, they're getting more honest with their lyrics.

Kyle Bradley was raised in Piedmont, Oklahoma. But his alter-ego, Thunder Jackson, was born in Los Angeles, California, after years of playing in smoky bars and busking since he was a teenager. He released his debut self-titled album in 2020, but after its release he said that music wasn't making sense to him anymore. It wasn't until he moved back to Oklahoma where he found the inspiration to create again. He released an EP titled Take Me Back last fall and is working on new music while splitting his time between L.A. and Oklahoma. In this episode, hear Thunder Jackson talk about how his father was an Elvis impersonator and got him a license to play in bars as a teenager, creating the moniker Thunder Jackson, and returning to Oklahoma.

The Lone Bellow's latest album is titled Love Songs for Losers and was recorded in Roy Orbison's former home. Matthew talked with singer Zach Williams just before they started their first tour of 2023, which fell right around the 10-year anniversary of the release of their debut album. In this episode, hear Williams talk about producing their own album, going back on tour, and what it was like recording in Roy Orbison's former home.

Folk music duo Companion released their debut album Second Day of Spring in May 2022. Companion is made up of twins, Jo and Sophia Babb, who were raised in Oklahoma, and have been performing together since they were at least 15 years old. In Oklahoma, they performed primarily under the name The Annie Oakley but after moving to Colorado, they felt ready for a fresh start musically. The title track draws from a feeling they both had to start anew. In a new place, they were surrounded by new people and the natural scenery of Colorado. In this episode, hear them talk about drawing inspiration from their new surroundings and friends, changing their name, touring with Tori Amos, and their process of writing songs together.

North Carolina country artist Sarah Shook & The Disarmers released their latest album, Nightroamer, in February. In this episode, hear Sarah talk about being LGTBQ in country music, getting sober, and the first time they met a non-binary person.

Kaitlin Butts is a singer-songwriter from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her latest album, What Else Can She Do, is a collage of different female characters who tackle that question and draw from parts of the country artist's own life. The first track's title, "It Won't Always Be This Way" was a statement that she and her mother would repeat during a particularly rough period of their lives. And that statement has proven to be true. In just the last year or so, Kaitlin married fellow musician Cleto Cordero of Flatland Cavalry, moved to Nashville, and recorded this sophomore album. Listen to hear Kaitlin talk about going through that time, what it's like being married to another musician, and being more weird in country music.

Jason Scott and the High Heat are an Oklahoma band fronted by singer-songwriter, Jason Scott. Jason grew up Pentecostal and was once a youth and worship pastor. Now as a musician, he is writing songs while his bandmates joke about him once never having heard songs like "Stairway to Heaven."

Norman Music Festival is returning this week after two years of a pandemic-spurred hiatus. The festival brings hundreds of musicians and thousands of fans to the city of Norman, Oklahoma. Shari Jackson is the executive director of Norman Music Alliance, the organization that throws the free festival that Jackson calls the 'best annual party in the state.' Listen to hear her talk about the festival's impact, what the last two years have been like, and how an all-volunteer board put together this year's festival in 90 days.

Sun Deep has only been making music for three years. But he has already produced songs for numerous hip hop artists in Oklahoma and is also part of the bilingual hip hop duo Finite Galaxy. His upcoming release 'Will Rap For Change' is his first producer album where he got sixteen other artists to join him. It is set to come out on March 19th with an accompanying release show where the proceeds for the show and album will be going to charity. Listen to hear Sun Deep talk about being a late-blooming artist and how his background affects his production and rap style.

For Black History Month, we are taking a look back at some Black musicians that have been on the show in the past. You’ll be hearing again from Dr. View, Bartees Strange, Original Flow, and Jabee. They all released really wonderful projects, and they shared some of their stories and experiences that went into their music.

Max Rainer is from Tulsa, Oklahoma, and is the singer for Wilderado. Their self-titled debut album was largely written in an old church that was being sold at auction. After a couple of years of struggling with writing, Rainer wrote songs there dealing with his struggles balancing being a father and a touring musician. Hear Max talk about writing in a church by himself, his fear of being an absent dad, and how he put those feelings into song.

RC Edwards is from Tahlequah Oklahoma and is probably best known as the bassist for the Turnpike Troubadours. However this year he put out a new album with long time friend Amber Watson and produced by fellow Troubadour, Hank Early. The album, Big Country, is named after OSU basketball player, Big Country Bryant Reeves and puts together stories and players around Tahlequah and Sequoyah County, Oklahoma. With a new band, he says it feels like reliving early days with the Troubadours. Listen to hear RC talk about working with Amber, writing a folk song about Bryant Reeves, and how he thought about experimenting with a new group.

Unwed Sailor is an instrumental rock band based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but also has its roots in the 90s music scene of Seattle, Washington. Johnathon Ford is the bassist and songwriter and lived in the famous music scene with his former band, Roadside Monument. Ford left his home in Tulsa looking for his 'Black Flag get in the van' experience, but he has since been back for about ten years. Now, in his late forties, he has continued to put out music with his band, Unwed Sailor. Their first album came out twenty years ago and has just been reissued. They have put out an album a year for the last three years, with another planned for next year. In this episode, hear Ford's stories of early 90s Seattle and coming back to Tulsa, his approach to songwriting as a bassist and how he wrote and recorded their latest album, Truth or Consequences.

Parker Millsap is a singer-songwriter from Purcell, Oklahoma. On his latest album Be Here Instead, he explored writing from a more vulnerable and personal point of view in a way that felt like he 'was sneaking up on himself. The album was produced by John Agnello, who had previously worked with bands like Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., and Kurt Vile. Together, they recorded the album with a full live band, while also experimenting with different effects and tools. In this episode, hear more about how Parker started writing more using an iPad and feeling more fearless in his approach to songwriting.

Madeline Kassen is from Tulsa, Oklahoma and releases music under the moniker Pisha. The recent Berklee College of Music grad put out her first album titled Threnody earlier this year. The title means 'a lament' and the album is her lamenting 'a past self,' and represents a turning of age period in more ways than one. In this episode, hear more about why she took on a pseudonym as an artist and her advice for someone going into music school.

Hear a preview of Songwriters & Tour Riders, as we give you an inside look at musicians coming from Oklahoma and those just passing through. Hosted by Matthew Viriyapah, hear musicians tell stories of recording, touring and living as an artist.