For Songs - Episodes Tagged with “Songwriting”

Episode 78: A Conversation with Adam Levy of the Honeydogs

Rob Thormeyer — Sat, 20 Sep 2025 11:00:00 -0400

You know that feeling when you rediscover something—a sound, a feeling—that makes you feel young again? Takes you back 25-plus years? Just hits you right between the eyes? I do, because it happened the second I heard the opening riff of “Irish Goodbye,” the first single from latest album by the Minneapolis-based band the Honeydogs. That jangly guitar took me back to 1996/97, when the so-called alt.country music scene was just getting started. So it was a thrill to welcome Honeydogs singer/songwriter Adam Levy to the show and talk about the band’s first album in almost 10 years, Algebra for Broken Hearts. More than that, this is the first album with the original lineup since 1997—so yeah, there’s a familiarity here that’s hard to beat. Adam talks about getting the band back together, writing songs with the new-old band, jamming with the band’s drummer, brother Noah Levy, and a ton more. So sit back, dig in and jam out as Adam Levy joins me on For Songs.

Episode 51: A Conversation with John McCutcheon

Rob Thormeyer — Mon, 10 Oct 2022 16:00:00 -0400

You think you’ve been productive during COVID? Maybe so, but did you write, record, and release three (that’s right, THREE!!!) albums in two-plus years? No? Well, my next guest did. In fact, folk singer John McCutcheon’s latest album Leap, released in September 2022, is not only his third album since 2020, but his 43rd of his career! John’s love of folk music began as a young teenager watching the 1963 March on Washington; after seeing Bob Dylan, Odetta, Joan Baez, and Peter, Paul, and Mary, he was hooked. He’s been writing and recording folk music since the mid-1970s, and hasn’t looked back. In this episode, we talk about four songs from Leap—The Ride, The Troubles, Sorryland, and Work. We take a deep-dive into his prolific songwriting process, how the material keeps flowing, and how he hopes to stay “useful” as long as possible. Listen in!

Episode 50: Another Conversation with Paleface

Rob Thormeyer — Mon, 03 Oct 2022 21:30:00 -0400

As you’ve no doubt heard in listening to this podcast, the music industry is not for the faint of heart. You need nerves of steel, patience, determination, and, at times, a devil-may-care attitude. You also need support, and lots of it, if you hope to make just enough to get by. In this special episode of For Songs, we are joined again by indie-rock legend Paleface and his drummer/partner Monica “Mo” Samalot. Paleface has seen it all, a veteran of the industry since the early 90s. His songwriting chops sharpened by folks like Daniel Johnston and others, PF has rubbed elbows with some of the biggest names in the business, people like Beck and the Avett Brothers. In this episode, PF and Mo discuss the crowdfunding campaign currently underway to support their next release, which is expected to come out in early 2023. We talk about what goes into writing, recording, producing, and releasing an entirely independent record. We discuss how you can play a key role in getting their new album out on the streets by supporting their efforts. And talk about the joy of playing live again after more than a year of being off the road.

To make a contribution to their crowdfunding campaign, check out their website here: www.palefaceonline.com.

Episode 47: A Conversation with Ben Vaughn

Rob Thormeyer — Mon, 23 May 2022 19:00:00 -0400

There’s something about simplicity and subtlety that sets the best songwriters apart. The simplicity in using the exact, perfect word—and only that word—to describe a feeling in a way that everyone can relate. And the subtlety of taking the listener on an emotional journey with a song that only lasts three minutes. Few artists have attained a mastery of both quite like my next guest, singer/songwriter Ben Vaughn. An exceptionally talented musician, Ben is a persistent writer; indeed, he writes almost every day. The tough part is getting it all down before it goes away. His music may remind you a bit of They Might Be Giants, a little Tom Waits mixed in with some Lou Reed. Ben’s been at it since the early 80s and even scored music for television shows and movies. He’s funny, witty, subtle, and unfailingly polite. We spoke from his California home about his newest album The World of Ben Vaughn, released in May 2022. Listen in as he discusses how he approaches his craft, his inspirations, and four songs from new album—Wayne Fontana Was Wrong, Blind Alley, Asking for a Friend, and New Jersey Rock and Roll. Dig in and welcome Ben Vaughn to For Songs.

Episode 1: A Conversation with Scott Miller

Rob Thormeyer — Sat, 23 May 2020 11:00:00 -0400

For Songs is a podcast about songs and songwriters. We pick four songs from some of our favorite artists and try to get into mindset when they were writing these tunes. How hard is it? Very hard. In our first episode, we talk with renowned Shenandoah Valley, Va.-based singer/songwriter Scott Miller. Scott’s a mainstay on the Mid-Atlantic roots rock/folk rock scene, splitting his time between making music and running his family farm. Between his first band the V-Roys in the mid-90s to his solo career, Scott’s music has taken him all over the world. With his rock n’ roll hard-living days behind him, Miller remains an exquisite songwriter. His humor, dry wit, and stark, cunning observations are second to none, and landed him a few years back into the East Tennessee Writers Hall of Fame. Take a listen as we run through four of Miller’s songs throughout his solo career—Highland County Boy, On a Roll, Claire Marie, and Lo Siento, Spanishburg West Virginia. Get a sense as to his thinking and inspiration behind each one, along with some tricks of the trade. And you won’t want to miss Scott’s plan to save the country!

Info about Scott, these songs, and the albums upon which they appear can be found on his website: http://www.thescottmiller.com