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The Working Songwriter

Joe Pug
Songwriting
Nashville
Music Industry
Banzoogle
Country Music
Touring
Music Production
Los Angeles
Music
Bluegrass Music
K Flay
Steve Louw
Indie Rock
Chicago
Save Ferris
Creative Process
Michigander
Austin City Limits
Old Town School Of Folk Music
Joe Ely

Joe Pug hosts a weekly conversation with one of today's best songwriters. The Working Songwriter is a part of the Bluegrass Situation Podcast Network. Interested in sponsoring us? Contact: bit.ly/sponsorBGSpods Over 300 catalog episodes available to stream in the Nation of Heat Vault. Visit joepugmusic.com/vault

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes355Founded11 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Music InterviewsArtsMusicPerforming Arts

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Artwork for The Working Songwriter

Latest Episodes

This episode originally aired on April 15th, 2022

This songwriter has spent the last few decades building a devoted following with Hot Water Music and also with his own solo project. He discusses getting his start in the 1990s Florida Hardcore scene... more

Our guest this week is one of Chicago’s favorite sons. Eric D. Johnson is the songwriter, singer and multi-instrumentalist behind Fruit Bats, which started in the late 1990s as a four-track recording project before growing into a full touring band. O... more

This episode was originally aired on April 8th, 2022.

Fresh on the heels of his latest album hitting #1 on the UK Charts, this journeyman songwriter and performer stops by the show to discuss his beginnings in Hardcore music, many years of touring, ... more

Our guest this week on the Working Songwriter hails from a small mountain town in California, but his music has now made it across the world. Jay Buchanan got his start in the early 2000s with a solo project before joining ranks with a rock band and ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
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Recent Guests

Chuck Ragan
Musician, frontman of Hot Water Music; Revival Tour founder
Hot Water Music; Revival Tour
Episode: Classic Episode - Chuck Ragan
Eric D. Johnson
Songwriter, singer and multi-instrumentalist behind Fruit Bats
Fruit Bats
Episode: Fruit Bats return!
Frank Turner
Singer-songwriter, former Million Dead vocalist, solo artist
Musician
Episode: Classic Episode - Frank Turner
Jay Buchanan
Lead singer of Rival Sons
Rival Sons
Episode: Jay Buchanan of Rival Sons
Allison Russell
Singer-songwriter and solo artist; former Birds of Chicago member
Episode: Classic Episode - Allison Russell
Cody Diekhoff
Chicago Farmer, songwriter and performer
Delavan, Illinois-based artist; Fieldnotes
Episode: Chicago Farmer
John Flansburgh
Founding member of They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants
Episode: Classic Episode - They Might Be Giants
Gabe Dixon
Keyboardist, vocalist, and songwriter for the Tedeschi Trucks Band
Tedeschi Trucks Band
Episode: Gabe Dixon and Mike Mattison of the Tedeschi Trucks Band
Mike Mattison
Lead vocalist and lyricist, co-founder of Tedeschi Trucks Band
Tedeschi Trucks Band
Episode: Gabe Dixon and Mike Mattison of the Tedeschi Trucks Band

Host

Joe Pug
Host of The Working Songwriter

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 2.3k ratings
  • Great stuff

    Been listening for years, thanks for the good work Joe! … and personally I think the website salesman ads are funny. Cheers!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    nahhhhh…
    United States3 months ago
  • If you write songs…

    This is the podcast for you. Joe is funny, intelligent and insightful. My favorite podcast about music and the reality of being an independent singer songwriter. The best!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MD Boat Guy
    United States6 months ago
  • Insightful, intelligent, and essential!

    This is one of the best songwriting podcast out there. As a professional songwriter, who’s been on a lot of interviews, I’ll say that Joe is a fantastic host and brings on amazing guests who reveal deep and unique aspects about themselves and the creative industry they are part of. I’m always enthralled and enlightened and I’m so grateful that this forum exists so we can get to know the artists we love and admire. Definitely give a listen. Ps he’s also funny which helps.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Robin Jacksophone
    United Statesa year ago
  • No

    First thing I hear is “Some guy named Tucker would drive an fj cruiser and would make you a website for $1000?” Absolutely not. What a moronic statement.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Ashexxx
    United Statesa year ago
  • Always a great listen!

    Joe has a great conversational approach that is easy to listen to and his production is top notch. Easily one of the best podcasts out there today.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Russell Christian
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests are consistently high-quality and provide fresh perspectives on songwriting.
Shows are engaging, informative, and useful for both aspiring and working musicians.
Feedback highlights the episode production and guest diversity as strengths.
Listeners praise the host's conversational style and depth of craft insight.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Classic Episode - Chuck Ragan
Q: How did your writing process change when Hot Water Music went on hiatus and you started a solo project?
I began writing and performing acoustic material on my own, which was familiar but required adjusting to not having the other band members co-writing, while still craving collaboration later on when back in a group setting.
Classic Episode - Chuck Ragan
Q: What did the songwriting and composition process look like at that time, and how did it contribute to tapping into that primal energy?
The process was highly communal; we lived close, jammed in homes or a warehouse, and songs often emerged from everyone playing together, with ideas flowing when the group felt a spark and each person added their part.
Classic Episode - Chuck Ragan
Q: When did music move from a passive listening hobby to something you started participating in and creating yourself?
It happened around ages 12 to 13 when friends would hand me mixtapes and I began improvising with whatever was available, gradually discovering a community of music that invited me to contribute rather than just consume.
Classic Episode - Frank Turner
Q: How did the Revival Tour influence your songwriting and career path?
The Revival Tour provided a community and a template for collaborative, improvisational songwriting. It inspired Turner to write songs that could be performed in an intimate, acoustic-leaning setting and reinforced the importance of mutual support and immediate creative feedback among musicians on tour.
Fruit Bats return!
Q: How do you balance writing quickly and keeping things fresh for the live show as you prepare to tour?
I try not to overthink it and let the songs flow; touring helps reinforce memory and performance, and I rely on natural memory and a certain musical instinct to carry the material on stage rather than forcing it.

Audience Metrics

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Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Working Songwriter

What is The Working Songwriter about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A candid, craft-focused conversation series where a seasoned songwriter hosts weekly chats with some of today's most respected songwriters. Episodes cover origin stories, writing routines, collaboration dynamics, and the realities of building a long-running career in music, with generous sponsor reads woven in. The show frequently highlights creative process, genre-crossing collaborations, and practical paths for indie artists aiming to sustain a musical life while staying true to their art. A standout angle is its emphasis on storytelling and craft from guests spanning folk, rock, Americana, and beyond, making it useful for listeners who want actionable songwriting insight and backstage perspectives on the music business.

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How many listeners does The Working Songwriter get?

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How many subscribers and views does The Working Songwriter have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Working Songwriter has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Working Songwriter?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Working Songwriter:

1. Broken Record with Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam and Justin Richmond
2. Talkhouse Podcast
3. Rolling Stone All Access
4. The Bob Lefsetz Podcast
5. Song Exploder

How many episodes of The Working Songwriter are there?

The Working Songwriter launched 11 years ago and published 355 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Working Songwriter?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Working Songwriter?

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What guests have appeared on The Working Songwriter?

Recent guests on The Working Songwriter include:

1. Chuck Ragan
2. Eric D. Johnson
3. Frank Turner
4. Jay Buchanan
5. Allison Russell
6. Cody Diekhoff
7. John Flansburgh
8. Gabe Dixon

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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