The Music Makers and Soul Shakers Podcast

With Your Host Steve Dawson

A podcast made by a musician about lives in music, and the creative process involved in creating, writing and recording it.

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Ken Coomer

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175. Ken Coomer

Feb 19, 2025

Feb 19, 2025

Producer, original Wilco and Uncle Tupelo drummer

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Feb 19, 2025

In Case You Missed It…

Here’s a random sampling of some of our past episodes from the last 8 years.

Episodes

146. William Prince

146. William Prince

Singer/songwriter

139. Bob Rock

139. Bob Rock

Producer of rock gods

148. Molly Miller

148. Molly Miller

Guitarist/composer

138. John Leventhal

138. John Leventhal

producer/guitarist

150. Duane Betts

150. Duane Betts

Guitarist/songwriter

151. Bahamas (Afie Jurvanen)

151. Bahamas (Afie Jurvanen)

133. Bryan Sutton

133. Bryan Sutton

Brilliant flatpicking bluegrass guitarist

149. Al Perkins

149. Al Perkins

Legendary steel guitarist

131. Stanton Moore

131. Stanton Moore

New Orleans drum kingpin and member of Galactic

156. John Reischman

156. John Reischman

mandolin master

137. David Grissom

137. David Grissom

Austin-based guitarist

144. Peter Case

144. Peter Case

L.A. Songwriting legend

142. Welcome to Season 7

142. Welcome to Season 7

A bit about what’s in store for the all-new Season 7.

145. Kaia Kater

145. Kaia Kater

Singer/songwriter, banjo player

143. Aaron Lee Tasjan

143. Aaron Lee Tasjan

Singer/songwriter

140. Jerry Douglas

140. Jerry Douglas

Dobro innovator

147. William Bell

147. William Bell

Original Stax artist, soul singer and songwriter

130. Audley Freed

130. Audley Freed

Guitarist for Sheryl Crow, The Black Crowes and many more

129. Sierra Hull

129. Sierra Hull

The future of bluegrass mandolin

153. Alison Brown

153. Alison Brown

Banjo player/composer

134. Patric Caird

134. Patric Caird

Film/TV Composer

132. Mick Flannery

132. Mick Flannery

Irish singer/songwrier

154. John Paul White

154. John Paul White

Singer/Songwriter, member of The Civil Wars

152. Julian Lage

152. Julian Lage

Jazz Guitarist/composer

157. Tommy Emmanuel

157. Tommy Emmanuel

Fingerstyle Guitar legend

155. Larry Klein

155. Larry Klein

producer, bassist

128. Rose Sinclair

128. Rose Sinclair

Austin-based steel guitarist

136. Nicki Bluhm

136. Nicki Bluhm

Singer/songwriter

135. Happy Holidays and Season 6 Update!

135. Happy Holidays and Season 6 Update!

141. David Lindley Remembered

141. David Lindley Remembered

A re-release of our conversation from 2019

Episodes

116. Bill Schnee

116. Bill Schnee

Legendary recording engineer/producer

104. George Porter Jr.

104. George Porter Jr.

Funk mastermind and bassist for The Meters

96. David Piltch (Part 1)

96. David Piltch (Part 1)

Upright bassist and session player

113. Rose Cousins

113. Rose Cousins

Singer and songwriter from Canada

101. Welcome to Season 5

101. Welcome to Season 5

102. Peter Rowan (Part 1)

102. Peter Rowan (Part 1)

Bluegrass legend, singer and songwriter

108. Robert Finley

108. Robert Finley

Louisianna-based singer

106. Bill Payne (Part 2)

106. Bill Payne (Part 2)

(Little Feat)

117. Craig Northey

117. Craig Northey

Songwriter, producer, guitarist for Odds

94. Tucker Martine

94. Tucker Martine

Producer/Engineer

91. Sarah Jarosz

91. Sarah Jarosz

Singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist

95. Gordie Johnson

95. Gordie Johnson

Guitarist, singer and songwriter for Big Sugar

93. Joel Plaskett

93. Joel Plaskett

Singer/songwriter from Halifax

97. David Piltch (Part 2)

97. David Piltch (Part 2)

111. Will Kimbrough

111. Will Kimbrough

Nashville-based guitarist and songwriter

109. Matt Ross-Spang

109. Matt Ross-Spang

Memphis-based engineer and producer for Al Green, Elvis Presley, Margo Price, John Prine and many more

118. Rob Baker

Tragically Hip guitarist

110. Ariel Posen

110. Ariel Posen

Slide guitarist and songwriter

98. Introducing the "One Life" Podcast

98. Introducing the "One Life" Podcast

103. Peter Rowan (Part 2)

103. Peter Rowan (Part 2)

92. Colin Linden

92. Colin Linden

Canadian guitarist/producer/songwriter

114. Colin Cripps (Part 1)

114. Colin Cripps (Part 1)

Guitarist for Blue Rodeo, Kathleen Edwards

100. John Oates

100. John Oates

Singer/Songwriter and member of Hall and Oates

112. Viktor Krauss

112. Viktor Krauss

Bassist, composer and producer

115. Colin Cripps (Part 2)

115. Colin Cripps (Part 2)

90. Allison Russell

90. Allison Russell

105. Bill Payne (Part 1)

105. Bill Payne (Part 1)

Session keyboard player and founding member of Little Feat

89. Sadler Vaden

89. Sadler Vaden

Guitarist for Jason Isbell’s 400 Unit

99. Keith Scott

99. Keith Scott

Guitarist for Bryan Adams

107. Allison Russell

107. Allison Russell

Singer, songwriter and my old band-mate!

Episodes

66. Alvin Youngblood Hart

66. Alvin Youngblood Hart

Master of blues and rock & roll guitar

65. Rory Block

Blues fingerstyle guitarist and singer

69. Redd Volkaert

69. Redd Volkaert

Telecaster specialist

78. Kim Rosen

78. Kim Rosen

Mastering engineer

70. Dennis Crouch (Part 1)

70. Dennis Crouch (Part 1)

Bass mastermind

64. In Honor of Hal Blaine

64. In Honor of Hal Blaine

A re-broadcast in honor of the great drummer

79. Trey Hensley

79. Trey Hensley

bluegrass flatpicking virtuoso

72. David Lindley (Part 1)

72. David Lindley (Part 1)

Guitar and Weissenborn legend

68. Rick Holmstrom

68. Rick Holmstrom

Guitarist for Mavis Staples

75. Molly Tuttle

75. Molly Tuttle

77. Malcolm Burn (Part 2)

77. Malcolm Burn (Part 2)

63. Dave Cobb

Nashville-based mega-producer

71. Dennis Crouch (Part 2)

71. Dennis Crouch (Part 2)

74. Joachim Cooder

74. Joachim Cooder

Songwriter and drummer

67. Mickey Raphael

67. Mickey Raphael

Willie Nelson’s harmonica player of 40+ years

73. David Lindley (Part 2)

73. David Lindley (Part 2)

76. Malcolm Burn (Part 1)

76. Malcolm Burn (Part 1)

Record producer, sonic explorer

62. Debashish Bhattacharya

62. Debashish Bhattacharya

Indian classical slide guitar master

61. Kevin Breit (Part 2)

61. Kevin Breit (Part 2)

60. Kevin Breit (Part 1)

60. Kevin Breit (Part 1)

Guitarist like no other

59. Gabriel Roth (AKA Bosco Mann)

59. Gabriel Roth (AKA Bosco Mann)

Bassist and mastermind of the Daptone sound

58. Billy Bragg

58. Billy Bragg

UK-based songwriter/activist/author

57. Chuck Leavell (Part 2)

57. Chuck Leavell (Part 2)

56. Chuck Leavell (Part 1)

56. Chuck Leavell (Part 1)

Keyboard player for Allman Bros & Rolling Stones

55. Jorma Kaukonen

55. Jorma Kaukonen

Fingerstyle guitarist and founding Jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna member

54. Welcome to Season 3

54. Welcome to Season 3

Episodes

35. Ron Sexsmith

35. Ron Sexsmith

Singer/songwriter

29. Steve Berlin

29. Steve Berlin

Stellar producer and horn player for Los Lobos

28. Dave Alvin

Hard-core troubadour, singer, guitar slinger

36. Oz Fritz

36. Oz Fritz

Recording engineer

44. Lloyd Green

44. Lloyd Green

Steel guitar legend

34. Chris "Critter" Eldridge

34. Chris "Critter" Eldridge

Guitarist for Punch Brothers

46. Reese Wynans

46. Reese Wynans

Keyboard player for Stevie Ray Vaughan, Joe Bonamassa and many more

40. Mike Bub

Bluegrass bass guru

27. Welcome to Season 2

27. Welcome to Season 2

39. Lloyd Maines

39. Lloyd Maines

Producer, pedal steel guitarist

50. Adam Levy

Guitarist for Norah Jones, Tracy Chapman

45. Kenneth Pattengale

45. Kenneth Pattengale

Guitarist/singer for The Milk Carton Kids

38. Charlie Musselwhite

38. Charlie Musselwhite

Harmonica legend

41. Sara Watkins

41. Sara Watkins

Singer/songwriter

33. Van Dyke Parks

33. Van Dyke Parks

Producer/arranger/lyricist

30. Norman Blake

30. Norman Blake

Bluegrass guitar legend

47. Mid-Season 2 Update

47. Mid-Season 2 Update

53. Greg Leisz

53. Greg Leisz

Steel guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and sideman to everybody!

32. Charlie McCoy

32. Charlie McCoy

Harmonica wiz

51. Amos Garrett

51. Amos Garrett

Innovative electric guitarist

31. Sylvia Tyson

31. Sylvia Tyson

Songwriter, folk icon and member of Ian and Sylvia

49. David Bromberg

49. David Bromberg

Songwriter/guitarist

42. Ronnie Hawkins

42. Ronnie Hawkins

The Hawk

52. Matt Chamberlain

52. Matt Chamberlain

Drumming trailblazer

37. David Mansfield

37. David Mansfield

Multi-instrumentalist, composer

43. Bil Vorndick

43. Bil Vorndick

Recording engineer

48. Tommy Shannon

48. Tommy Shannon

Bassist for Stevie Ray Vaughan, Johnny Winter

Episodes

26. Bettye LaVette

26. Bettye LaVette

Soul Legend

15. Joe Henry (Part 1)

15. Joe Henry (Part 1)

Songwriter, artist and producer of fine records

2. Tim O'Brien

2. Tim O'Brien

Bluegrass and roots renaissance man

21. David Hood

21. David Hood

Bassist for the Swampers

9. Stephen Hodges

9. Stephen Hodges

Drummer for Mavis Staples, Tom Waits and John Hammond

14. Fats Kaplin

14. Fats Kaplin

Multi-instrumentalist for the Dead Reckoners, Jack White and many more

23. Dom Flemons

23. Dom Flemons

American songster

1. Bill Frisell

1. Bill Frisell

Legendary guitarist and composer

7. Danny Barnes

7. Danny Barnes

Banjo player, songwriter and musical explorer

10. Cindy Cashdollar

10. Cindy Cashdollar

Steel guitarist and dobro player

18. Gurf Morlix

18. Gurf Morlix

Guitarist/producer

20. Bernie Finkelstein

20. Bernie Finkelstein

Artist manager/label head

13. Lee Townsend

13. Lee Townsend

Producer for Bill Frisell and many others

8. Marc Ribot

Avant-Garde guitarist and composer

16. Joe Henry (Part 2)

16. Joe Henry (Part 2)

17. Holger Petersen

17. Holger Petersen

Broadcaster/producer

5. Mary Gauthier

5. Mary Gauthier

Nashville songwriting icon

4. John Hammond

4. John Hammond

Blues powerhouse

24. John Convertino

24. John Convertino

Drummer/songwriter for Calexico

6. Ryan Freeland

6. Ryan Freeland

Recording engineer for Joe Henry, Bonnie Raitt, Ray LaMontagne and many more

19. Bruce Cockburn

19. Bruce Cockburn

Songwriting icon

12. Duane Eddy (Part 2)

12. Duane Eddy (Part 2)

22. Hal Blaine

Drum legend

25. Jay Bellerose

25. Jay Bellerose

Innovative drummer

11. Duane Eddy (Part 1)

11. Duane Eddy (Part 1)

The King of Twang

3. Oliver Wood

Guitarist, singer and songwriter for The Wood Brothers

Season 8 Sponsors

Many thanks to this year’s sponsors. Be sure to click the links to check them out!

Larrivée Guitars

Larrivée Guitars

Fishman

Fishman

Chase Bliss

Chase Bliss

Spectra 1964

Spectra 1964

Union Tube and Transistor

Union Tube and Transistor

The Henhouse Hang

The Henhouse Hang

Merch

Featured

Logo Shirt

US$20.00

Poster Shirt

Poster Shirt

US$20.00

Fox Shirt

Fox Shirt

US$20.00

Unisex Hoodie

US$40.00

About Steve Dawson

Steve Dawson is an award-winning musician, guitarist, steel guitar nerd, producer and engineer from Vancouver, Canada who has spent the last decade living and working in Nashville, TN. He operates The Henhouse Studio where he does sessions, produces, mixes records, and teaches.

Visit Steve's website