Follow Your Dream - Music And Much More!

Today is a very special day on the podcast. It’s Satchmo day! Or as you may know him - Louis Armstrong day! For anyone who doesn’t know him, Louis Armstrong was simply one of the greatest American artists ever. And my guest to celebrate this occasion is Ricky Riccardi. He is the Director of Research Collections for the Louis Armstrong House Museum. Ricky has written three critically-acclaimed biographies of Louis Armstrong and is a two-time Grammy winner in the "Best Album Notes" category. He’s produced numerous Louis Armstrong reissues, served as a Consulting Producer on the docume...

In Robert Frost’s famous poem, called “The Road Not Taken”, a traveler comes to a fork in the road and must choose between two paths. The poem is really about life’s crossroads—those moments when we must choose between the expected path and one that is uncertain, unconventional, and uniquely our own. My life has been about pursuing that second path. Like most people, I spent much of my adult life raising a family, building a career, and meeting the responsibilities that come with adulthood. My youthful dream of becoming a...

Jennifer Ashley Tepper is a theater historian, author and producer. She conceived of The Jonathan Larson Project. He’s the guy who wrote Rent. She’s been the longtime Creative and Programming Director at 54 Below, the iconic New York City cabaret club. She’s curated or produced over 8,000 shows. As an author her latest book is “Women Writing Musicals: The Legacy that the History Books Left Out”, about female musical theatre writers. She’s also the author of "The Untold Stories of Broadway", and the creator of the "If It Only Even Runs A Minute" concert series. She produced the musical...

Gentiane MG is a fabulous Montreal-based pianist and composer who combines jazz and classical. Her music explores human connection, emotional depth, and the quiet relationship between inner life and the natural world. She’s toured with her trio extensively across Canada and Europe and she’s earned major honours including OPUS Awards, Radio Canada recognition, and JUNO nominations. Her latest album is called “Can You Hear the Birds?” My featured song is my reimagined cover of Chick Corea’s “Sea Journey”, from the album Play by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow You...

Kevin Kiner is an Annie Award and BMI award winning, and Emmy nominated, TV and film composer. He’s one of the entertainment industry's most versatile and in-demand composers. He scored several Star Wars movies. He’s work on shows like CSI: Miami, Narcos and Walker, Texas Ranger. He’s recognized for his ability to craft intimate, soulful guitar melodies as well as epic and grand orchestral compositions. My featured song is “Rough Rider”, from the album What’s Up by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:To...

David Maraniss is a Pulitzer Prize winner and a 3x Pulitzer Prize finalist. He’s also the former associate editor for the Washington Post. And he is the author of numerous books, ranging from politics to sports, including head coach Vince Lombardi of the Green Bay Packers, American hero Jim Thorpe, Baseball Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente, the 1960 Rome Summer Olympics, the Vietnam War, and U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. My featured song is “Spring Dance”, from the album of the same name by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ Th...

Rochelle Rice is a singer and composer who blends jazz, soul, and pop. Take it from me - her singing is simply sublime. Since 2016 she’s been a member of Sweet Honey in the Rock. They are a 3x Grammy nominated, all female, African American a cappella ensemble. She’s performed at The Kennedy Center and Blues Alley among many other venues. She’s an advocate for social justice. Her latest project, “Tell Her This”, is a blend of podcasting, visual art, and live music that celebrates the voices and wisdom of women. My featured song is “The Buzz”, m...

After 800 episodes, I’ve observed that many of my remarkable guests are connected by one or more common threads. Each episode of Special Collections focuses on a particular thread that ties together some of my guests.  In this episode, the common thread is a group of young artists who are dedicated to keeping alive and vibrant the music of the Great American Songbook and the big band era and carrying forward the tradition of great crooners like Frank Sinatra. This episode features four extraordinary young artists who have each been a guest on the podcast and...

Scott Hosfield and Maria Newman have been married for 25 years and they collaborate together musically. They have spent much of their professional lives as studio musicians and artists working in film and TV, including on the “Anamaniacs” series and other Hollywood based projects. Scott plays the violin and viola. Maria is a composer and also plays violin and viola, plus she’s a Pianist and Conductor. And she’s part of a musical dynasty. Her father is 9x Academy Award winner Alfred Newman, her two brothers are both acclaimed composers, and her cousin is the great Randy Newman. They are both...

Josh Smith is a dynamic, young blues guitarist. And he’s special. He’s the real deal. He was ranked as one of the Top 20 best blues guitarists in the world by Guitar World Magazine. He’s also a producer for musicians like Marc Broussard and Andy Timmons - both of whom have been guests on this podcast - and also for the great Joe Bonamassa. My featured song is “Annie and Leni”, from the album Bobby M and the Paisley Parade. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts...

I’ve got some big news - Follow your dream has just released its 800th episode! That’s right, 800 episodes in just under 5 1/2 years. And on top of that, we’re about to hit 5 million total downloads. How about that! What started out as a pandemic-era podcast with no audience and no guests has now morphed into a global arts platform featuring guests from over 40 countries and including musicians, actors, authors, directors, photographers, poets, and other creatives. I’m pleased to say that the podcast has been ranked in the top 1% in the world for quite so...

My guests today are Tasha Warren and Dave Eggar. Tasha is a 2x Grammy nominated clarinetist and bass clarinetist, and an international performer who has premiered over 100 works worldwide. She’s a member of the American Modern Ensemble, Lansing Symphony and Jackson Symphony Orchestra. Dave Eggar is an amazing cellist who is making his third appearance on this podcast, putting him at the top of my frequent flyer list. What’s even more impressive is that each appearance has been in a different context - first in his own right as a world class cellist, then as the cellist and...

N’Kenge is a spectacular powerhouse crossover singer in pop, opera and jazz. Just Wait till you hear what this lady has accomplished.  She is a Tony, Emmy, and Grammy nominated performer with a 5 octave vocal range. She’s headlined with major orchestras including the Cleveland Orchestra, and the Houston, Edmonton, and Jacksonville Symphonies, and she’s performed at major venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Madison Square Garden. On Broadway she’s been in “Sondheim on Sondheim”, “Motown: The Musical”, and “Caroline, or Change”. In 2026, she leads the world premiere of “That’s Love! The Dorothy Dandridge Musical”. Her new album i...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Today’s a pretty special day for me. It’s my 75th birthday.  Yes you heard me correctly.  It feels like just the other day I was watching The Beatles on Ed Sullivan. And then I ran out afterwards and taught myself guitar and bass. Then it feels like it was only a few days ago that I was playing jazz fusion in Boston. And then recording my first album when I was in my 40s but still working a day job. And then turning 60 and de...

Welcome to another Legends episode of Follow Your Dream, the award winning podcast and global arts platform. Legends features profiles of iconic artists and influential figures who helped shape our culture. This Legends episode spotlights Irving Berlin who was - simply put - one of the greatest songwriters of all time.  Irving Berlin was born in Russia with the name Israel Beilin. He moved to America at age 5 with his family to escape the pogroms against the Jews. He taught himself the piano and he composed only in the key of F...

David Rivard is a renowned poet with seven books of poetry to his credit. His newest is called “Some of You Will Know”. His other books incude “Standoff”, “Otherwise Elsewhere”, “Sugartown”, “Bewitched Playground”, “Wise Poison”, and “Torque”. His work has won the PEN/New England Prize in poetry, the James Laughlin Prize from the Academy of American Poets, and he has been a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. He’s also received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Civitella Ranieri Foundation.  My featured song is “Heat 2007”, from the album Prisoners Of Love. Spotif...

Chloe Dufresne is the newly appointed conductor and Musical Director of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. She also serves as Associate Artist of two other orchestras. She has conducted operas including Carmen and Don Giovanni, for Opéra Rouen, Opéra de Toulon, Opéra de Nice and Opéra National de Lorraine, as well as a production of Wagner’s The Ring for children at the Helsinki Festival.   My featured song is “Ma Petite Fleur String Quartet”, my recent release. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners...

Mark Hammond is a drummer and a programmer who made his mark in Nashville recording artists like Amy Grant, Whitney Houston, James Ingram, Michael Bolton, Peabo Bryson, Vanessa Williams, Faith Hill, Trisha Yearwood, Wynonna Judd, Martina McBride and Quincy Jones. He also produced many top Christian artists, and he then began creating and producing music for Disney while also producing artists such as Josh Groban, Patti LaBelle, Joss Stone, Jennifer Holiday, and Hillary Duff. My featured song is “The Buzz”, my recent release. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all...

Hilary Gardner is a wonderful jazz singer raised in Wasilla, Alaska, but she’s says she’s a New Yorker at heart. She’s a 5x Downbeat Magazine Rising Star Female Vocalist. And she’s released four recordings as a leader, one of which, On The Trail, captures the “singing cowboy” era of the 1930s-40s. The album was named Western Album of the Year by the International Western Music Association. She is also a founding member of Duchess, a terrific female vocal trio with Amy Cervini and Melissa Stylianou. Duchess has released 4 albums and has collaborated with the Paul Taylor...

This is another Follow Your Dream Reflection — observations drawn from my many conversations with remarkable creative artists. After speaking with hundreds of artists from around the world, one idea keeps coming back to me: the best artists are adventurous. They’re explorers. They are always searching for something new. Sometimes it’s a new sound. Sometimes it’s a new technique. Sometimes it’s simply a new way of seeing the world. But they rarely stay in one creative place for very long. You see this everywhere in the arts. A mu...