Creatively

This one is a bit out of the norm for my typical interviewee. However, I think you will enjoy the conversation. This is not intended to be an evangelical proselytizing, but the subject matter is Christian in its origins. I’ve known Robert for a little more than a year now and have grown more and more enamored with his ability to inspire his congregation every week. After having lunch one afternoon with my wife, it occurred to me that the amount of creative energy required to deliver with that much punch weekly must be researched. Not to mention he gave me the best headshot ever. The Reverend Robert Wetherington has been working in ordained ministry for over ten years. He is currently serving as the rector of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in El Dorado, Arkansas, and has served as Missioner for the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi and as chaplain to The Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman, MS. Other work includes serving as rector at The Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in Biloxi, MS, and as the convocational dean for the coast convocation of Episcopal Churches along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. He has been an Executive Director at Camp Mitchell Episcopal Camp and Retreat Center in the Diocese of Arkansas and has served on several committees and councils. Father Robert is married to the Rev. Betsy Baumgarten, who has served as an Episcopal priest in many and various capacities, including her current role as Ministry Coordinator for South Arkansas. They have two children, five dogs, and one cat. They share a passion for the outdoors and a variety of hobbies and interests. Within the chaos that fills their days, they find abiding joy in life.

This special episode is a recording from three years ago during the El Dorado Film Festival, which also happens to be this weeks sponsor. I was lucky enough to sit down with one of my favorite artists, Joey Lauren Adams. Joey is from Arkansas. She grew up with her entire family and all her friends living within walking distance, having known each other so long that they can't remember when they met. When she eventually found her way to California, she was embarrassed about growing up in Arkansas. Her first job was as a seating hostess in a restaurant where she learned just how far the south was from the rest of the world. After looking for her LA self, she decided to go back to her southern roots and really own it, and boy did she find success. However, feeling like there was nothing proactive about being an actress, she began to get frustrated. This is when her awakening as an artist seems to have bloomed. Discovering writing and eventually directing have allowed her to scratch that creative itch. You can hear it in her voice as she describes her process, writing what she knew, and using Linklater and Kevin Smith as her film contemporaries for inspiration. There are some real gems in her storytelling within the episode, including her run-in with Johnny Cash, whose eight-track she used to sleep with when she was a girl back home in Arkansas. We even take a little dip into the religion pool to talk about inspiration and beliefs. Enjoy this week's special (in case you missed it #ICYMI) episode with a genuine creative spirit.

Jake Hertzog is a critically acclaimed guitarist, composer, educator, and writer based in Fayetteville, AR. where he teaches at the University of Arkansas. He has toured throughout the U.S., Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and India and performed and recorded with a diverse cadre of artists including Randy Brecker, Ivan Neville, Mike Clarke, Blondie Chaplin, Anton Fig and many others. In 2016 Jake joined the music faculty at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. In 2018 Jake authored his first book, Guitar Sound Effects, a deep dive into the world of contemporary guitar sounds and techniques. Under the alias Hey Jazz Guy, Jake has contributed over 30 articles to Guitar Player magazine which coined him the “Jazz ambassador to the non-jazz world.” Hertzog’s classical recording include “Well Lit Shadow” (2016) a suite for solo electric guitar celebrating themes and images in particle physics. His latest project, a guitar duo with classical virtuoso Yishai Fisher called “Stringscapes: A Portrait of the World in Nylon and Steel” (2018, Fretmonkey) is a unique combination of nylon string and steel string guitars and is inspired by the landscapes of planet earth. He was awarded a fellowship from the Arkansas Arts Council in 2018 for music composition for this project. Jake was co-leader and co-songwriter of the rock band The Young Presidents from 2009-2016. For three years, Jake stood as musical director and lead guitarist for Nickelodeon’s The Naked Brothers Band. They concluded two national tours and have performed on national television shows including Good Morning America, The View, Nickelodeon’s Kids Choice Awards and The Today Show. Hertzog is a grand prize winner of the Montreux Jazz Guitar Competition, holds a performance degree from Berklee College of Music and a master’s degree from The Manhattan School of Music in New York. Origins of Inspiration Bill Bryson A Short History of Nearly Everything Particle Physics Jake's father David Hertzog and the Muon g-2 experiment Education and Mentors "When the student is ready, the master will appear" - Chinese Proverb Mick Goodrick a mentor at Berklee who Jake called, “Master Yoda of Jazz Guitar “ and played in in Gary Burton and Pat Metheny's bands in the seventies Mike Stern John Scofield Bill Frisell John Abercrombie Miles Davis Chris Rosenburg, performed with Pultizer Prize & Grammy Lifetime winner Ornette Coleman Michael Wolff Methods of Teaching Victor Jones Michael Wolff Charlie Parker origin story Stories from the Road Chip McNeal Jon Faddis Invitation (here's Coltrane's recording from 1958) - song history Grant Green Miles Davis and Herby Hancock Charlie Parker and Miles Davis Gary Burton and Pat Matheny Genre Jeff Golub article from the Rolling Stone The Naked Brother’s Band Working Over Seas Becoming an Educator University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Jazz Concentration Degree Stringscapes Steve Vai Skys Of America - Ornette Coleman Final Thoughts and Inspirations  

This weeks guest on the podcast is Madison Murphy.  Many people know Madison in his executive capacity as a current board member and former CFO and former Chairman of the Murphy Oil Corporation and his current Chairmanship of the Fortune 500 company Murphy USA. In addition to the impressive resume in the board room, and perhaps a product of his ability to put his passion to work in all the right places, he is a hell of a musician. Madison grew up in S. Arkansas playing the guitar at family gatherings and after a little coaxing by his mother, during church services. We discuss his history with music and the life lessons he has been able to glean from having a creative outlet in his life, despite the stresses that high profile business has brought to his doorstep. He was kind enough to play several songs for us, and be sure to stick around after the interview for a couple of playful additions after the show's credits.  

This weeks guest is Johnnie Stapleton an early career filmmaker, actor, writer and a heck of a good dancer. Johnnie is the most recent winner of the Louisiana Film Prize, a short film festival with a $50,000 grand prize. This was the second time he has won the festival in the past several years. We discuss his origins from childhood with his mothers VHS camcorder to his first foray into film directing. His most recent feature, the Best of Seven is available on iTunes. Johnnie and I will also wrestle with the artist's plight of self-acceptance and why creatives have such a difficult time reaching over the heads and patting themselves on the back. You can find more Jonnie below: Instagram Facebook As always you can find additional details about this interview and a host of others at barrow.blog. If you would like regular updates on the podcast as well as other mayhem I can get myself into then subscribe here. Opening and closing music provided for by Broke for Free - Night Owl  

This weeks episode I interview one of my oldest and dearest friends, Qui Nguyen. Qui is a playwright and screenwriter and has worked on numerous television shows, has had his plays produced across the nation and has even gotten to play with the big boys over at Marvel and now with Disney. We talk about how he developed his brand of theater coined by his wife Abby called "Geek Theatre" way before it was cool to be a geek. He talks about juggling multiple projects at one time, finding life balance as an artist between work and family, and talks about some of his upcoming projects. His newest production Poor Yella Rednecks premieres this weekend at the South Coast Rep in Costa Mesa, CA. and tickets can be purchased by following the link below. Poor Yella Rednecks Tickets Qui's Twitter Profile Website As always you can find additional details about this interview and a host of others at barrow.blog. If you would like regular updates on the podcast as well as other mayhem I can get myself into then subscribe here. Opening and closing music provided for by Broke for Free - Night Owl  

This weeks guest is Carter “The Power” Bryant. Carter is a radio host, comedian, and sports enthusiasts. His life’s motto is to make people smile, and he does a damn good job of it, especially when he’s on stage. Carter co-hosted the first episode of Creatively when we interviewed Ryan Niemiller. It’s a hilarious episode with a fascinating dude and worth a listen (iTunes). This week we learn about where Carter’s passion for comedy and comes from and how he got the nerve to stand up in front of people and hone his craft. We also learn about the origins of his nickname, The Power. If you enjoy the episode, and you are in the area, he has a show on March 20th of 2019 in Little Rock Arkansas with the always funny Dusty Slay. Tickets to the show can be found here. The Socials: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube Website: CarterThePower.com

This weeks guest is Frenchie of Frenchie’s Blues Destroyers. A guitarist since the age of 12, he grew up in Nimes, France surrounded by his father's record collection of over 1000 blues tunes. He moved to America at age twenty with two hundred dollars in his pocket and was touring with one of Los Angeles’s hottest bands with a legendary bandleader, Shooter Jennings, in less than thirty days. This guy has truly lived the American dream. We will discuss a range of topics from songwriting to the stress of walking on stage to perform for more than 40,000 people with no rehearsal. Frenchie also permitted us to share the title track to his newest project Love is Blood.   Check out their contact information for tour updates, merch, and even more great music. www.bluesdestroyers.com Facebook As always you can find additional details about this interview and a host of others at barrow.blog. Opening and closing music provided for by Broke for Free - Night Owl

This weeks guest is comedian Ryan Niemiller with co-host and fellow comedian Carter 'The Power' Bryant. We take a look at the unique comedy of Ryan coming up this evening in S. Arkansas at the Murphy Arts District. Ryan is a nationally recognized touring comedian and does more than 200 dates around the US throughout the year. For more information on Ryan and other shows that you can check out you can find him here: Twitter - @CrippleThreat8 Facebook - @CrippleThreat8 As you may assess from the handle, Ryan has a disability, and it is the unique lens he uses to comment on the world. We delve into his start, the source of his comedy and what drives him to continue to tour around the US night after night. My co-host Carter "The Power" Bryant is the host of The Power Hour on the Noalmark Broadcast Network and works as a regional comedian throughout the south. You can find Carter on "ALL" the social networks by looking for @CarterthePower. Twitter Facebook Opening and closing music provided for by Broke for Free - Night Owl