This week, I got to sit down with two of the people who helped me get started in podcasting, Joy and Claire of "This is Joy and Claire." In their own words, their podcast is a conversation every week "about all the...random things you'd talk to your friends about." Podcasting since 2013, their first project was called "Girls Gone WOD," which focused a lot on fitness and CrossFit. It has since developed into "This is Joy and Claire," and they also have a Great British Bakeoff-themed show called, "On Your Marks, Get Set, Bake!" (My personal favorite.) It was such a treat to talk with two people who love music and how it plays a role in their lives. Many thanks to Joy and Claire for going down all the rabbit holes with me, from the similarities between podcasting and music, to the balance of commercial success and artistic freedom, and a whole lot more. (And for those who have joined from the J&C corner of the internet, yes we did even sneak in a Mean Girls reference towards the end.) You can catch their main show, "This is Joy and Claire" every Thursday.

Joy and Claire's Website
Follow J&C on Instagram

Joe Troop is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter hailing originally from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The founder of GRAMMY-nominated stringband Che Apalache, Joe’s music is deeply inspired by his decade living in Buenos Aires and traveling throughout Latin America. When the pandemic unexpectedly landed him back in North Carolina, he spent 2020 learning direct action from stalwart organizers. In 2021 he channeled that energy into his homecoming album Borrowed Time. The record was co-produced with Jason Richmond (The Avett Brothers, Branford Marsalis) and features luminaries like Béla Fleck (who produced Che Apalache’s GRAMMY-nominated album), Abigail Washburn, Tim O’Brien, and Charlie Hunter, but the visceral songwriting and fine-crafted instrumentals speak for themselves. Joe's music reflects both his time spent living abroad as well as his upbringing in the North Carolina Piedmont. Now based in Durham, he leads various ensembles, which play his original music. Joe has also most recently partnered with powerhouse Venezuelan folk music legend Larry Bellorín. The duo is on a mission to show that music has no borders and is already touring extensively.

Larry & Joe's most recent single, Caballo Viejo

This week, I sat down with my longtime friend, Max Rainwater. Max is a multi-instrumentalist based out of the Hudson Valley. We talked all about his teaching methodology, "Scratch to Gigs" and how to reinvigorate your practice by returning to basics, metronome always in hand. Take a listen to revisit some old ideas and maybe even get a couple new ones. 

Check out Max's band, the Mapletones!