Folk singer/songwriter Cameron Scott Boster posted his 24-song album on Reddit a few weeks ago and got a huge response from listeners. In Composer Quest episode 33, Cameron shares some of the stories behind his songs, and cracks me up in the process. He's heading off to law school in Virginia, so music is going to have to be a side project for him. After hearing his incredible live performances, I think you'll probably be with me in wishing that he continues on his songwriting path.
In episode 31 of Composer Quest, songwriter Matt Leavitt of the indie band Emot talks with me about his belief that the very first time you work on a song is often where the best ideas come from, and anything after that is just trying to recreate this spark of initial inspiration. We also get to hear Matt play a couple new tunes live from Emot's upcoming album, which they've been working on with producer Brian Moen (of Peter Wolfcrier and Laarks).
Metal isn't for everyone, but guitarist Devin Earlywine is okay with making music 90 percent of listeners won't enjoy. In Composer Quest Ep. 27, Devin talks about how metal isn't all about doom and gloom. He even admits his band Idiopathic Necrotization started as a joke to have fun with the ridiculousness of the gore death metal genre. In most of his music, Devin tries to avoid thinking of his audience at first, so there are no roadblocks between the purest musical idea from his brain to the finished song.
Most famous for his songwriting in the new wave band The Suburbs, Emmy-winning composer Chan Poling has gravitated lately to performing pop music from other iconic songwriters. His jazz trio, The New Standards, features Chan on piano, John Munson (of Semisonic fame) on bass, and Steve Roehm on vibes. In episode 26 of Composer Quest, Chan talks with me about his arranging, songwriting, and film scoring.
Songwriter Warren Hildebrand of Foxes in Fiction has a special sensory gift. He experiences images and color when he listens to certain music, and hears tones when he sees certain images. In this episode of Composer Quest, we talk about Warren's synesthesia and how it shades his music making. Warren Continue reading... 
Rapper and poet Dessa somehow found time to join me over the phone for Composer Quest Episode 21, in the midst of her nationwide tour (SXSW, New Orleans, Nashville, etc.). I was honored to talk with Dessa about her creative process of writing and arranging hip hop songs.
In episode 20 of Composer Quest, Sci-fi songwriter and composer John Anealio shares tips on getting your music out to the online world without seeming like a narcissistic party-crasher. For example, following the 80/20 rule for Twitter and Facebook posts will keep your self-promotion in check. John also gives some helpful pointers on writing melodies, and he explains how even a simple song can employ one of Mozart's secret weapons - the Rondo form! John has also set forth a challenge to those who would accept: finish 23 pieces of art in 2013. He believes that if you don't finish and present your songs to the world, "you're just the guy talking about your art, you're not the guy doing it."
As a dad of two young kids, songwriter Tim Cheesebrow has limited hours in the day for music. But he recently wrote an album's worth of material in a self-imposed solitary confinement at a cabin in northern Minnesota. He's now in the midst of a crowdfunding campaign to produce this new album, Home in the Heartland. We talk about his three main sources of inspiration: his family, the concept of home, and a Carl Sagan-inspired philosophy of universal connectedness. Oh, and we also talk about extraterrestrial music.
Guitarist and songwriter Mike Nilles has a secret method for writing melodies: dreaming them up! In episode 17 of Composer Quest, Mike and I swap stories about our dream-inspired songs. We also talk about a few of the groups Mike has played in over the years, from his 70s St. Paul band Smart Alex, to an Italian blues band, to his latest project, The Badinovs.
Paul Spring was destined to be a poet, being raised in a family of English professor parents, and now having six brothers and sisters who are also English teachers. In this episode of Composer Quest, we get to hear live renditions of four new story songs Paul has been working on, from the hilarious "Type II Diabetes" and "St. Cloud Traffic" to an edgy but thoughtful song trying to make sense of the tragic Newtown, Connecticut school shooting. We also talk about Paul's self-titled album and the very personal stories behind it. I think it's the most moving talk we've had on the show, so a special thanks to Paul for sharing his music and stories.