Follow Your Dream - Music And Much More!

Jason SweetTooth Williams is a singer, an actor and a writer. He's performed in cabaret, on TV, in films and on Broadway. He was in the Broadway musical “Be More Chill”, and regionally and Off Broadway in “Freaky Friday”, “Benny and Joon”, “Bloodsong of Love”, “The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S Thompson Musical” and “Once Upon a Mattress”. And he's an original member of Joe Iconis and Family. On screen he appeared in “WeCrashed” and in episodes of “Only Murders in the Building”, “BULL”, “FBI”, “The Marvelous Mrs Masiel” and “American Horror Stories”.  My featured song is “The Buzz”, my latest single. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Ana Petrova is a jazz pianist and organist from Kazakhstan. Her playing is a combination of improvisation, groove, and jazz traditions. She studied at Berklee with Danilo Pérez, John Patitucci, and Joe Lovano. She's shared the stage with Dave Liebman, Catherine Russell, and Terri Lyne Carrington, among others. She's performed at clubs like Dizzy's and The Bitter End, and at festivals like the Umbria, Panama, and Monterey Jazz Festivals. My featured song is “Trippin”, from the album of the same name. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH ANA:www.anapetrovamusic.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

After more than 800 episodes, I've observed that many of my remarkable guests are connected by one or more common threads. Each episode of Special Collections focuses on a particular thread that ties together some of my guests. In this episode, that common thread is poetry. This episode features five remarkable, world-class poets who have expanded the range of artistic expression featured on this podcast. When I started this podcast just over five years ago, as a musician myself, I focused primarily on great musicians as my guests. But as those guests began introducing me to other artists, a wonderful development occurred: my focus expanded to include other creative disciplines, including poetry. And my first poet guest led me to the second, and so on. I've now built a roster of extraordinary poets — and I look forward to continuing to add to it. What makes poetry especially interesting to me is that I've adapted the SongFest portion of each interview — which I do with my musician guests — into a PoetryFest segment for my poet guests, where they read one of their works live on the air. I love it. So with that in mind, let me reintroduce these five remarkable poets and share a portion of the poem each performed live on the podcast. ⸻ Robert Pinsky is a three-time United States Poet Laureate. He has received numerous awards and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. He created the Favorite Poem Project, has performed with Bruce Springsteen, and was featured on The Simpsons.   Paul Muldoon is a Pulitzer Prize–winning Irish poet. He is the editor of Paul McCartney's book The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present. He is also the author of 15 collections of poetry and has been a professor at Princeton for more than 35 years.   Rowan Ricardo Phillips is an award-winning poet and writer, with works including Silver, The Ground, and Heaven. He is also a sportswriter and serves as the poetry editor of The New Republic.   Tom Sleigh is an award-winning poet, dramatist, and essayist. He has written 11 books of poetry, including The King's Touch, Army Cats, and Space Walk.   Declan Ryan is an Irish poet now based in London. His first collection is titled Crisis Actor. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Paris Review, The Guardian, The Observer, and The Irish Times.   So there it is — five extraordinary poets who have been guests on this podcast. As I mentioned during their interviews, poetry is not always emphasized in American education. My own exposure was limited to classics like “Trees” by Joyce Kilmer and “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. But the art of poetry stands alongside all the other arts, and I'm proud to feature these great poets on the podcast — and I look forward to presenting more. Thank you for listening, and stay tuned for another Special Collections episode soon. This is Robert Miller with Follow Your Dream.      

Ed Hinman is an author who says that he likes to explore open fields where violent things happened a thousand years ago. He's a graduate of the US Naval Academy, and he served eight years in the Marine Corps including a deployment in Afghanistan. He earned a master's degree in history, and he's spent his post-military career as a bodyguard at a security firm. He's now about to publish his first book, called "The Barbarian in You". If I have this right, it's about listening to the ancient, primal, authentic you, as it nudges you towards the Vigor, Wonder, and Fellowship of your goal. His writing has appeared in Task & Purpose, Business Insider, and The Washington Post.  My featured song is “Cannonball”, from the album Prisoners Of Love. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH ED:www.barbarianinyou.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Eric Oberstein is a Cuban-American 2x Grammy®  and 2x Latin Grammy® -winning producer, curator, artist manager, arts administrator, and educator. He runs an artist management and producing company, and an arts management consultancy that produces programming and advises cultural organizations on strategy. Two of his clients are Claudia Acuna and Kali Rodriguez-Pena, both of whom have been guests on this podcast. Eric has served as Managing Director of Harlem Stage; a Director of Duke Performances at Duke University; and Executive Director of the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance. He is also an educator. On top of all this he's a saxophonist and drummer. My featured song is “Mi Cachimber All Stars”, one of my recent singles. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH ERIC:www.ericoberstein.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Allison Philips is a Brooklyn-based trumpet player, composer, and educator. She's led a trio and a quartet, and she's co-led the DeiCont | Philips Collective. She's toured throughout the U.S., Europe and Canada. She is a member of the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra which has performed with The Jonas Brothers and Yo La Tengo among others. She's appeared at Carnegie Hall, Birdland, and The North Sea Jazz Festival, among others. My featured song is “The Rich Ones”, one of my recent singles. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH ALLISON:www.allisonphilips.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Steven Pressfield is the author of over twenty books of fiction and nonfiction. Two themes emerge from his writings: self-help and creativity, and historical fiction and war. He wrote “The Legend of Bagger Vance”, which in 2000 was made into a major motion picture directed by Robert Redford and starring Will Smith, Matt Damon and Charlize Theron. He also wrote “Gates of Fire”, and “The Virtues of War” among others. “The War Of Art” focuses on procrastination. His works are widely read in military, creative, and leadership communities for their insights into discipline, resistance, and courage. He's a former Marine and a longtime student of classical history. He's known for blending historical accuracy with storytelling and philosophy. His newest book is “The Arcadian”. It's set in Spain and deals with the moral and spiritual costs of war. Which is particularly relevant today. My featured song is “Rough Rider”, one of my recent singles. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH STEVEN:www.stevenpressfield.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Hi everybody. Robert Miller here with another Follow Your Dream Reflection — observations drawn from my many conversations with remarkable creative artists. One of the hallmarks of my podcast interviews is that they are completely free-form. While I study each guest, read their bio, and do my due diligence on their art, I don't script the interview. I don't write down questions in advance. At most, I may jot down a few topics I'd like to discuss. And I usually avoid speaking with my guests before the interview, because I want the conversation to feel fresh and spontaneous. In many ways, I approach my interviews the same way I approach my music. Jazz is improvised — and so are my interviews. We talk, and I let the conversation flow. I make decisions in real time about whether to follow up on something the guest has just said, or to take the discussion in a different direction. The same is true for the “fest” portion of each interview. I decide on the spot when to segue into it and how I want that part of the conversation to unfold. Doing the podcast this way borders on the dangerous. There's always the chance that I won't immediately think of the right question, or that the conversation might slow down. But to me, that's exactly what makes the interviews exciting. It's the same feeling as being on stage and improvising a solo or a jam in real time. There's no safety net. My interview style is also influenced by something I did in college. I was a DJ on my school's radio station, and my shows were completely free-form. I played the music that moved me without planning the set list in advance, reacting in real time to each selection as I chose the next one. It was my first lesson in improvisation. Approaching podcast interviews as jazz improvisations allows me to draw on that musical training and keeps the conversations spontaneous and alive. And I think the audience enjoys it that way too. Just an observation from my many conversations. This is Robert Miller with Follow Your Dream.

Allison Charney is a Grammy® nominated soprano opera singer. She has performed dozens of leading roles with opera companies across the United States. she's been a soloist with major orchestras, and she has recorded worldwide. She made her debut at the New York City Opera in La Bohème. She also sung Puccini's Madam Butterfly and Tosca. She has sung Mozart's Figaro and Don Giovanni. Other performances include Offenbach's Tales of Hoffmann, Die Fledermaus, Carmen, La Traviata and The Merry Widow. She has performed with the Atlanta Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Utah Opera, Nashville Opera, and Opera Memphis among many others. My featured song is “March Of The Diplomats”, from the album Trippin' by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH ALLISON:www.preformances.org —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Jeremy Ledbetter is a JUNO Award-winning Canadian pianist, composer, and producer known for his fusion of jazz and world music. He was trained as a classical pianist, but he switched to jazz and spent over a decade travelling to Trinidad, Cuba, Brazil, and Venezuela to study local musical cultures. He's released two albums with his trio. He's also the leader and composer for the Caribbean Jazz ensemble CaneFire. And he works with OKAN, the terrific duo who has been on this podcast My featured song is “Mi Cachimber All Stars”, my recent single. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH JEREMY:www.jeremyledbetter.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Ludovica Burtone is a violinist and composer. Her music spans an eclectic range of styles and genres including classical, jazz, Brazilian, and contemporary. She has performed worldwide as a soloist, chamber musician, and collaborator in numerous ensembles. And at venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Radio City, Boston Symphony Hall, and Boston Opera House among others. Her latest project, “Migration Tales”, explores the stories of immigrant women in New York City through original compositions. Recent highlights include performing at the Notorious B.I.G. Tribute at Lincoln Center. My featured song is “The Gift”, my recent single that transformed my jazz ballad into a big band Samba. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH LUDOVICA:www.ludovicaburtone.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Today is a very special day on the podcast. It's Satchmo day! Or as you may know him - Louis Armstrong day! For anyone who doesn't know him, Louis Armstrong was simply one of the greatest American artists ever. And my guest to celebrate this occasion is Ricky Riccardi. He is the Director of Research Collections for the Louis Armstrong House Museum. Ricky has written three critically-acclaimed biographies of Louis Armstrong and is a two-time Grammy winner in the "Best Album Notes" category. He's produced numerous Louis Armstrong reissues, served as a Consulting Producer on the documentary "Louis Armstrong's Black and Blues", and he's given Louis Armstrong lectures at venues around the world. He is also a pianist. My featured song is “Mi Cachimber All Stars”, my recent single. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH RICKY:www.louisarmstronghouse.org —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com   

In Robert Frost's famous poem, called “The Road Not Taken”, a traveler comes to a fork in the road and must choose between two paths. The poem is really about life's crossroads—those moments when we must choose between the expected path and one that is uncertain, unconventional, and uniquely our own. My life has been about pursuing that second path. Like most people, I spent much of my adult life raising a family, building a career, and meeting the responsibilities that come with adulthood. My youthful dream of becoming a rock star musician remained just that—a dream. But as I approached age 60, when most of my contemporaries were approaching retirement, a light went off in my head. I realized that if I did not pursue that dream now, I would never do it. And I didn't want to look back later in life and regret that I had not even given my dream a chance. So figuratively, I jumped into the deep end of the pool. I gave up my other pursuits and committed myself fully to music. And you know what? It turned out to be the best decision I ever made. As of today I've released 15 albums (including a Billboard #1), numerous singles, written an Amazon #1 bestselling book, and created Follow Your Dream, a global arts platform featuring more than 750 conversations and more with world-class artists from around the globe. In this Essay I delve into the pros and cons of finding your path when you reach that crossroads. Like my other essays, this essay has been published on the Medium app. And it's available on the Essays page of Follow Your Dream. I hope you will take a look. And stay tuned for future essays periodically. CLICK HERE —----------------------------------------------------------- The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Jennifer Ashley Tepper is a theater historian, author and producer. She conceived of The Jonathan Larson Project. He's the guy who wrote Rent. She's been the longtime Creative and Programming Director at 54 Below, the iconic New York City cabaret club. She's curated or produced over 8,000 shows. As an author her latest book is “Women Writing Musicals: The Legacy that the History Books Left Out”, about female musical theatre writers. She's also the author of "The Untold Stories of Broadway", and the creator of the "If It Only Even Runs A Minute" concert series. She produced the musical “Be More Chill” and was the historian consultant on the film, “tick, tick… BOOM!” about Jonathan Larson.  My featured song is my reimagined cover of Double's hit “The Captain Of Her Heart”, from the album Play by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH JENNIFER:www.jenniferashleytepper.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Gentiane MG is a fabulous Montreal-based pianist and composer who combines jazz and classical. Her music explores human connection, emotional depth, and the quiet relationship between inner life and the natural world. She's toured with her trio extensively across Canada and Europe and she's earned major honours including OPUS Awards, Radio Canada recognition, and JUNO nominations. Her latest album is called “Can You Hear the Birds?” My featured song is my reimagined cover of Chick Corea's “Sea Journey”, from the album Play by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH GENTIANE:www.gentianemg.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Kevin Kiner is an Annie Award and BMI award winning, and Emmy nominated, TV and film composer. He's one of the entertainment industry's most versatile and in-demand composers. He scored several Star Wars movies. He's work on shows like CSI: Miami, Narcos and Walker, Texas Ranger. He's recognized for his ability to craft intimate, soulful guitar melodies as well as epic and grand orchestral compositions. My featured song is “Rough Rider”, from the album What's Up by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH KEVIN:www.kevinkiner.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

David Maraniss is a Pulitzer Prize winner and a 3x Pulitzer Prize finalist. He's also the former associate editor for the Washington Post. And he is the author of numerous books, ranging from politics to sports, including head coach Vince Lombardi of the Green Bay Packers, American hero Jim Thorpe, Baseball Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente, the 1960 Rome Summer Olympics, the Vietnam War, and U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. My featured song is “Spring Dance”, from the album of the same name by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH DAVID:www.davidmaraniss.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Rochelle Rice is a singer and composer who blends jazz, soul, and pop. Take it from me - her singing is simply sublime. Since 2016 she's been a member of Sweet Honey in the Rock. They are a 3x Grammy nominated, all female, African American a cappella ensemble. She's performed at The Kennedy Center and Blues Alley among many other venues. She's an advocate for social justice. Her latest project, “Tell Her This”, is a blend of podcasting, visual art, and live music that celebrates the voices and wisdom of women. My featured song is “The Buzz”, my latest single. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH ROCHELLE:www.rochellericemusic.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

After 800 episodes, I've observed that many of my remarkable guests are connected by one or more common threads. Each episode of Special Collections focuses on a particular thread that ties together some of my guests.  In this episode, the common thread is a group of young artists who are dedicated to keeping alive and vibrant the music of the Great American Songbook and the big band era and carrying forward the tradition of great crooners like Frank Sinatra. This episode features four extraordinary young artists who have each been a guest on the podcast and who exemplify this tradition. They all know one another and they're all connected. Let me re-introduce them to you. Benny Benack III is a phenomenal Emmy nominated trumpeter, crooner and consummate showman. Bria Skonberg is also an extraordinary trumpeter and vocalist. She is a Juno award winner, 10x Downbeat Rising Star, and Lincoln Center Swing Award recipient. Christian Wiggs is a terrific singer, band leader, lyricist and record label executive who has performed at major venues including Birdland, the Blue Note, Dizzy's and SXSW. He also leads the Christian Wiggs Big Band. And Danny Jonokuchi is another outstanding trumpeter, singer and arranger. He's arranged for Lady Gaga as well as for Benny and Christian, and he leads the Danny Jonokuchi Big Band. This episode features a song by each of these talented artists. Music is a continuum. Everything builds upon what has come before. By honoring their traditions as they do these artists are not just preserving the past they are keeping it alive, evolving it and carrying it forward. This is Robert Miller with Follow Your Dream.

Scott Hosfield and Maria Newman have been married for 25 years and they collaborate together musically. They have spent much of their professional lives as studio musicians and artists working in film and TV, including on the “Anamaniacs” series and other Hollywood based projects. Scott plays the violin and viola. Maria is a composer and also plays violin and viola, plus she's a Pianist and Conductor. And she's part of a musical dynasty. Her father is 9x Academy Award winner Alfred Newman, her two brothers are both acclaimed composers, and her cousin is the great Randy Newman. They are both members of the Los Angeles Film Orchestra. Newman Legacy Sessions is a major focus for them now. And they're involved with Malibu Friends of Music and their concert venue, MAHMA. My featured song is “Ma Petite Fleur String Quartet”, my recent release. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH SCOTT AND MARIA:www.malibufriendsofmusic.org —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Josh Smith is a dynamic, young blues guitarist. And he's special. He's the real deal. He was ranked as one of the Top 20 best blues guitarists in the world by Guitar World Magazine. He's also a producer for musicians like Marc Broussard and Andy Timmons - both of whom have been guests on this podcast - and also for the great Joe Bonamassa. My featured song is “Annie and Leni”, from the album Bobby M and the Paisley Parade. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH JOSH:www.joshsmithguitar.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

I've got some big news - Follow your dream has just released its 800th episode! That's right, 800 episodes in just under 5 1/2 years. And on top of that, we're about to hit 5 million total downloads. How about that! What started out as a pandemic-era podcast with no audience and no guests has now morphed into a global arts platform featuring guests from over 40 countries and including musicians, actors, authors, directors, photographers, poets, and other creatives. I'm pleased to say that the podcast has been ranked in the top 1% in the world for quite some time. In the last year I've added four new pillars of content to Follow Your Dream in addition to interviews: they are Special Collections, Reflections, Legends, and most recently, Essays. These 5 pillars have taken Follow Your Dream well beyond the scope of any other show out there. In fact, I just read an industry statistic which said that of the 4.7 million podcasts in existence, only 4%, or about 180,000, have published at least 10 episodes and publish weekly. This gives you an idea of the staying power and magnitude of Follow Your Dream in comparison to all the others. As usual, I want to thank you for listening to the show. I appreciate your loyalty and all the testimonials from so many of my artist guests.  Keep on rockin! And we'll see you in the next 800 episodes.      

My guests today are Tasha Warren and Dave Eggar. Tasha is a 2x Grammy nominated clarinetist and bass clarinetist, and an international performer who has premiered over 100 works worldwide. She's a member of the American Modern Ensemble, Lansing Symphony and Jackson Symphony Orchestra. Dave Eggar is an amazing cellist who is making his third appearance on this podcast, putting him at the top of my frequent flyer list. What's even more impressive is that each appearance has been in a different context - first in his own right as a world class cellist, then as the cellist and QB of the fabulous string quartet that recorded my recent release, “Ma Petite Fleur String Quartet”, and now with Tasha. Oh, and I should mention that he's got 7 Grammy nominations, he's played with Paul Simon among dozens of top artists, and he was the guy who was responsible for the iconic cello work on Coldplay's massive hit, “Viva La Vida”. Okay I think you get the picture. My featured song is “The Buzz”, my latest single. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH TASHA:www.tashawarrenclarinet.com CONNECT WITH DAVE:www.domomusicgroup.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera Films Connect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

N'Kenge is a spectacular powerhouse crossover singer in pop, opera and jazz. Just Wait till you hear what this lady has accomplished.  She is a Tony, Emmy, and Grammy nominated performer with a 5 octave vocal range. She's headlined with major orchestras including the Cleveland Orchestra, and the Houston, Edmonton, and Jacksonville Symphonies, and she's performed at major venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Madison Square Garden. On Broadway she's been in “Sondheim on Sondheim”, “Motown: The Musical”, and “Caroline, or Change”. In 2026, she leads the world premiere of “That's Love! The Dorothy Dandridge Musical”. Her new album is called “Centerstage: Live From the Ella Fitzgerald Festival”. She has a new TV project called “Black Butterfly”. She has a nonprofit foundation. And she sings in 11 languages including Zulu. My featured song is “The Buzz”, my latest single. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH N'KENGE:www.nkengemusic.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Today's a pretty special day for me. It's my 75th birthday.  Yes you heard me correctly.  It feels like just the other day I was watching The Beatles on Ed Sullivan. And then I ran out afterwards and taught myself guitar and bass. Then it feels like it was only a few days ago that I was playing jazz fusion in Boston. And then recording my first album when I was in my 40s but still working a day job. And then turning 60 and deciding that I could not let my youthful music dream go to waste. So I reformed my band Project Grand Slam and started writing and recording my music - now 15 albums and many singles. And then, like just yesterday, the pandemic hit and I didn't know what to do with myself. So I started Follow Your Dream. And here we are 5+ years and over 775 episodes later. Follow Your Dream has been an extraordinary second act for me and a great gift. When I started the podcast in March 2021, I had no audience and no guests. I never imagined that it would evolve into what it has become today. I've had wonderful conversations with so many creative artists from all around the world. Over 40 countries. Musicians. Actors. Authors. Photographers. Directors. Poets. It has been an honor and a privilege to meet them, learn from them, and share their stories with you. And as I've written recently, perhaps the most remarkable transformation is that Follow Your Dream has evolved from a mere podcast into a true global arts platform. What began as a creative outlet during the pandemic has become something much larger. And I created it out of love. Not as a way to make money, but as a way to give back to the creative community that has inspired and sustained me throughout my life. As I've said before, Follow Your Dream is totally independent. No partners. No corporate overseers. No advertisers. No one telling me who to interview or what to say. Just me, following my instincts and my curiosity. One of the most gratifying aspects of this journey has been hearing from my guests themselves. A few years ago, I began asking my guests for brief testimonials about their experience on the show. To date, more than 200 have responded with the most generous and heartfelt comments. Their words mean more to me than they could possibly know. And then there is the audience. Listeners from around the world continue to find the show, support it, and return week after week. I've learned that creativity, curiosity, and human connection have a remarkable ability to transcend borders. So —happy birthday to me. I feel incredibly fortunate. Fortunate to still be creating. Fortunate to still be learning. Fortunate to still be meeting extraordinary artists. And fortunate to have all of you along for the journey. As I like to say, thank you for listening to this podcast. And keep on rockin! Robert

Welcome to another Legends episode of Follow Your Dream, the award winning podcast and global arts platform. Legends features profiles of iconic artists and influential figures who helped shape our culture. This Legends episode spotlights Irving Berlin who was - simply put - one of the greatest songwriters of all time.  Irving Berlin was born in Russia with the name Israel Beilin. He moved to America at age 5 with his family to escape the pogroms against the Jews. He taught himself the piano and he composed only in the key of F#, meaning the black keys. His songs captured the identity and feel of his adopted country. He was known for writing music and lyrics that were uncomplicated, simple and direct, with his stated aim being to "reach the heart of the average American". He received Academy, Tony and Grammy awards, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Over his 60 year career he wrote 1,500 songs, with “Alexander's Ragtime Band” in 1911 being his first hit. His catalog included the scores to 20 original Broadway shows and 15 original Hollywood films. His songs were nominated eight times for Academy Awards.  Let's listen now to excerpts from several of his greatest hits sung by the stars of his era.  “God Bless America”, sung by Kate Smith;  “Blue Skies”, sung by Frank Sinatra “Easter Parade, sung by Judy Garland “Cheek To Cheek” sung by Ella Fitzgerald “There's No Business Like Show Business” sung by Ethel Merman, and of course  “White Christmas” sung by Bing Crosby. None other than George Gershwin called Irving Berlin “the greatest songwriter that has ever lived", and Jerome Kern, no slouch himself, said that "Irving Berlin has no place in American music—he is American music."      

David Rivard is a renowned poet with seven books of poetry to his credit. His newest is called “Some of You Will Know”. His other books incude “Standoff”, “Otherwise Elsewhere”, “Sugartown”, “Bewitched Playground”, “Wise Poison”, and “Torque”. His work has won the PEN/New England Prize in poetry, the James Laughlin Prize from the Academy of American Poets, and he has been a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. He's also received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Civitella Ranieri Foundation.  My featured song is “Heat 2007”, from the album Prisoners Of Love. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH DAVID:www.davidrivard.net —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Chloe Dufresne is the newly appointed conductor and Musical Director of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. She also serves as Associate Artist of two other orchestras. She has conducted operas including Carmen and Don Giovanni, for Opéra Rouen, Opéra de Toulon, Opéra de Nice and Opéra National de Lorraine, as well as a production of Wagner's The Ring for children at the Helsinki Festival.   My featured song is “Ma Petite Fleur String Quartet”, my recent release. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH CHLOE:www.chloedufresne.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Mark Hammond is a drummer and a programmer who made his mark in Nashville recording artists like Amy Grant, Whitney Houston, James Ingram, Michael Bolton, Peabo Bryson, Vanessa Williams, Faith Hill, Trisha Yearwood, Wynonna Judd, Martina McBride and Quincy Jones. He also produced many top Christian artists, and he then began creating and producing music for Disney while also producing artists such as Josh Groban, Patti LaBelle, Joss Stone, Jennifer Holiday, and Hillary Duff. My featured song is “The Buzz”, my recent release. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com      

Hilary Gardner is a wonderful jazz singer raised in Wasilla, Alaska, but she's says she's a New Yorker at heart. She's a 5x Downbeat Magazine Rising Star Female Vocalist. And she's released four recordings as a leader, one of which, On The Trail, captures the “singing cowboy” era of the 1930s-40s. The album was named Western Album of the Year by the International Western Music Association. She is also a founding member of Duchess, a terrific female vocal trio with Amy Cervini and Melissa Stylianou. Duchess has released 4 albums and has collaborated with the Paul Taylor Dance Company, performing the music of the Andrews Sisters live onstage at Lincoln Center. Hilary has also appeared on Broadway as the live, onstage singer in Twyla Tharp's hit, COME FLY AWAY. And she has performed with Jeff Goldblum and his band at the Café Carlyle and with Michael Feinstein. And she has appeared as a guest soloist with symphonies across the country. My featured song is my reimagined version of Joni Mitchell's reimagined version of Charles Mingus's “The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines”, from my debut album Miles Behind. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH HILARY:www.hilarygardner.com —--------------------------------------- ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

This is another Follow Your Dream Reflection — observations drawn from my many conversations with remarkable creative artists. After speaking with hundreds of artists from around the world, one idea keeps coming back to me: the best artists are adventurous. They're explorers. They are always searching for something new. Sometimes it's a new sound. Sometimes it's a new technique. Sometimes it's simply a new way of seeing the world. But they rarely stay in one creative place for very long. You see this everywhere in the arts. A musician experiments with new rhythms or new styles. Look, for example, at how Miles Davis continuously evolved his music — from bebop to modal jazz to jazz fusion. A filmmaker may try a completely different way of telling a story. An author may move from fiction to non-fiction. Great artists don't simply repeat what they've already done. They explore. Just think about the amazing evolution of the Beatles over the course of their career. And exploration means taking risks. Trying things that might not work. Going down paths that are uncertain. But that's where creativity often lives — in the willingness to venture into new territory. That's certainly how I've approached my own musical life. I've always enjoyed exploring different directions in my music — from jazz to rock, from instrumental to vocal. I think that's why artists tend to remain curious throughout their lives. There's always another idea to chase, another possibility to investigate. In many ways, the creative life is really a lifelong journey of exploration. Just an observation from my many conversations. This is Robert Miller with Follow Your Dream.

Jen Ash is a Lebanese-French pop star. With a really interesting back story. She was born in Lebanon and raised in France. And listen to this - She was a professional basketball player for 14 years, and then she ditched that career for a career in music. She calls her music Afro fusion, mixing R&B, French Caribbean and Afro rhythms, together with her Lebanese roots. And she says she wants to be part of a rebellious era and raise her voice against injustice and conformity.   My featured song is “Redemption Road”, from the album PGS 7 by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH JEN:www.jenashmusic.com —---------------------------------------- ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Charu Suri is a Grammy nominated pianist and composer. She fuses Indian ragas with traditional jazz. Her latest album, Shayan, blends evening ragas with classical and jazz, encouraging people to sleep better and healthier. She had a sold-out premiere for this release at Carnegie Hall last year. Her prior album featured John Patitucci and Steve Gadd. Her albums have reached #1 in India and #2 in Kenya. She also became the first Indian artist to collaborate with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. And she is a Governor of the Recording Academy's New York Chapter. My featured song is “Feeling So Good”, from the album Bobby M and the Paisley Parade. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH CHARU:www.charusuri.com —---------------------------------------- ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Philippe Quint is a multiple Grammy nominated violinist. He's an advocate for contemporary music. Conductors he's worked with include Andrew Litton and JoAnn Falletta, both of whom have been guests on this podcast. His programs include an Homage to Bach, Charlie Chaplin's Smile, and The Legend of Astor Piazzolla. He's performed with the London Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra among many others. He's released 17 albums. His mentors include Itzhak Perlman. My featured song is “Ma Petite Fleur String Quartet”, my recent release. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH PHILIPPE:www.philippequint.com —---------------------------------------- ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Jim Kimo West is a multiple Grammy winning Hawaiian “slack key” guitarist, producer and composer with kind of a New Age bent. He went to Hawaii in 1985 and basically never left. Except to go on tour with Weird Al Yankovic, with whom he's played for over 30 years and earned 5 Grammys and a Billboard #1 album. He's also composed music for TV and films. My featured song is “The Pardners”, from the album East Side Sessions by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH JIM:www.jimkimowest.com —---------------------------------------- ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

This episode introduces a new addition to the Follow Your Dream platform. It's called Essays. Over the years, I've had more than 750 in-depth conversations with creative artists from around the world. Those conversations have taught me a great deal about creativity, success, curiosity, purpose, and the creative journey. To explore some of those ideas more deeply, I've launched Essays. It's Follow Your Dream's fifth pillar of content. Essays draw upon lessons I've learned from my hundreds of artist guests, as well as my own experiences as a musician, author, and creator.  The first essay is called “What 750 Creative Artists Have Taught Me About Success”. And the second one is called “Pursuing Creativity Later In Life”.  In the first Essay I talk about how the most successful creative people I've met share a remarkable number of traits despite their differences in background, nationality, profession, personality, and artistic medium. Success is usually less about sudden opportunity than sustained commitment. Talent is important. But what has impressed me most is curiosity. In the second Essay I discuss how society often tells us that our business and creative lives end when retirement age begins. We're told that this is the time to slow down, take it easy, and coast through our remaining years. But it doesn't have to be that way. For some people—including me—the creative juices did not expire at this stage of life; to the contrary, they started overflowing. Both of these Essays were published on the Medium app. A link to them can be found in the Pillars section of the website under Essays. I hope you'll take a look. And stay tuned for future Essays. CLICK HERE      

Lola Kristine is a terrific singer and songwriter. She's known as “the little girl with the big voice” and boy is that true, as you will hear. She combines jazz, blues and gospel. Her latest album is called “Chapters”. Her recording of 'We Are One' was featured on lran TV Network as part of the Woman Life Freedom movement. And she's given me a couple of new songs for the Songfest portion. My featured song is “You Started Something”, from the album Trippin by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. —----------------------------------------------------------- The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH LOLA:www.musicoflola.com —---------------------------------------- ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com      

Alessio Bax is a remarkable Italian born classical pianist - a recitalist, a chamber musician, and a soloist. He's appeared with nearly 200 orchestras, including the New York, London, Royal, and St. Petersburg Philharmonics. He has collaborated with Joshua Bell and his wife, Lucille Chung, another world-class concert pianist, among many others. He's the founding Artistic Director of the London Festival of Chamber Music. He performs regularly at festivals all around the world including at Tanglewood. And he's on the piano faculty of the New England Conservatory.  My featured song is “Ma Petite Fleur String Quartet”, my recent release. Spotify link. —----------------------------------------------------------- The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH ALESSIO:www.alessiobax.com —---------------------------------------- ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Christina Courtin is an outstanding Violinist, vocalist, and composer and a founding member of The Knights, the classical orchestra founded by Eric Jacobsen and his brother. She has collaborated with Ed Sheeran, Le Ann Womack, and Sara Bareilles, among many others. She has toured all over the world, and continues to have a thriving solo career. She has sung with artists including Yo-Yo Ma, Dawn Upshaw, Laurie Anderson, Bela Fleck, and The Orlando Philharmonic.  She's a featured soloist in the films Chappaquiddick and Free State of Jones, and writes music for This American Life. And she's been a teaching fellow and performer at the infamous Sing-Sing prison. My featured song is “Spring Dance”, from the album of the same name by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. —----------------------------------------------------------- The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH CHRISTINA:www.christinacourtin.com —---------------------------------------- ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Carly Paoli is a spectacular British classically trained soprano singer and a Classical Brit nominee. She's known for her romantic, lyric driven performances across various musical genres including classical, contemporary, operetta and popular songs. She's headlined at Carnegie Hall, St Peter's Basilica, Windsor Castle, St James' Palace and the London Palladium among many others. Shes performed with Andrea Bocelli. She's been on British television and she's in huge demand in Italy. And she's glamorous too, often being featured in magazines such as Vogue, Glamour, and Vanity Fair. She is the whole package. My featured song is “Juliet Dances”, from the album East Side Sessions by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. —----------------------------------------------------------- The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH CARLY:www.carlypaoli.com —---------------------------------------- ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

After more than 750 episodes, I've observed that many of my remarkable guests are connected by one or more common threads. Each episode of Special Collections focuses on a particular thread that ties together some of my guests. In this episode, that common thread is the British Invasion era of the 1960s. The era began, in essence, with the appearance of The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964. It was the most-watched television broadcast up to that time, with an audience of more than 70 million people. And like other “invasions,” this one had a global impact. It sparked a revolution in music, fashion, and culture that changed the world. One British musical act after another came to America and captured the imagination of a generation. The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, and many others led the way, taking over American radio and redefining popular music and culture. I was a teenager at the time, and like millions of others, I was completely captivated. I wanted to look like them, sound like them—and be part of that world. Now, more than 60 years later, I've had the extraordinary opportunity to speak with a number of my boyhood idols from the British Invasion era on this podcast. This episode reintroduces seven remarkable musicians from that era, each of whom has been a guest on the show. Each had a front-row seat to the excitement, the success, and yes—the chaos of the time. And importantly, each has continued to perform and create music over the decades. Here they are again. Peter Noone (Herman's Hermits) Peter Asher (Peter and Gordon) Rod Argent (The Zombies) Jeremy Clyde (Chad and Jeremy) Billy J. Kramer (Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas) Allan Clarke (The Hollies) John Lodge (The Moody Blues)   Listen to this Special Collections episode for more on each artist including an excerpt from one of their hit songs. This is Robert Miller with Follow Your Dream.    

Keita Ogawa is a 5x Grammy nominee and 3x Grammy winning percussionist and drummer. He's performed with Yo-Yo Ma, Maria Schneider, Betty Buckley, Sabeth Perez and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. And he's a member of Snarky Puppy. He's got a passion for crossing musical borders and uniting differences in cultures.  My featured song is “Moon Shot”, my recent single. Spotify link. —----------------------------------------------------------- The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH KEITA:www.keitaogawa.com —---------------------------------------- ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Nathan Schram is a 2x Grammy winning composer and the violist of the Attacca Quartet. He has collaborated with Sting, Björk, Billie Eilish, David Crosby, and Becca Stevens, among others. He is an Honorary Ambassador to the city of Chuncheon, South Korea. He's released three solo records and several with Attacca, two of which won Grammys for Best Chamber Music Performance. His arrangement of a Radiohead song was nominated for a Grammy. He's also the Founder and Artistic Director of Musicambia which develops music programs and performances inside prisons and jails. His latest work, “Let Me Out”, delves into the world of artificial intelligence. My featured song is “The Week”, from the album East Side Sessions by Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. —----------------------------------------------------------- The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH NATHAN:www.nathanschramnoise.com —---------------------------------------- ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

John “JR” Robinson is one of the best and maybe the most recorded drummer of the modern era. His Bio is out of this world. You definitely know his playing, because he's played on just about every song ever recorded. Here's just a couple. He's the guy who played that legendary drum fill in Michael Jackson's "Rock With You" from “Off The Wall”, the spectacular intro to Steve Winwood's No. 1 hit, "Higher Love" from “Back In The High Life”, and he was the drummer on “We Are The World”.  In total he's played on over 10,000 recording sessions, 500 movie and television soundtracks, 30 No. 1 hit records, and 50 Grammy winners. He's been named one of Rolling Stone's "Top 100 Drummers of All Time". And he's worked with a Who's Who in music including Quincy Jones, Ray Charles, Chaka Khan, Lady Gaga, Peter Frampton, George Benson, Elton John, Madonna, Marvin Hamlisch, and Barbra Streisand, to name just a few. And he's written a biography called “King Of The Groove”. My featured song is “The Rich Ones All Stars”, my recent single. Spotify link. —----------------------------------------------------------- The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH JR:www.johnjrrobinson.com —---------------------------------------- ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Jen Shyu is a groundbreaking multilingual vocalist, composer, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and dancer. And if that wasn't enough she is also a Rome Prize Winner, a Guggenheim Fellow, a United States Artists Fellow, a Doris Duke Artist, and she was voted a Downbeat Critics Poll Rising Star Female Vocalist. Her background is Taiwanese and East Timorese, and she speaks 11 languages. She's performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She's performed with Terri Lyne Carrington, Reggie Workman, Kenny Barron, and Bill Frisell. She's released eight albums as leader. And she's produced three solo shows. Her latest project is “Fertile Land, Fertile Body”, a multilingual ritual opera. My featured song is “Redemption Road” from the album PGS 7. Spotify link. —----------------------------------------------------------- The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH JEN:www.jenshyu.com —---------------------------------------- ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com      

After five years and more than 750 episodes, I had a revelation that Follow Your Dream had become much more than just a podcast - it is a global arts platform. It's founded upon 5 pillars of content: Conversations with more than 750 guests; Special Collections, where I curate episodes around common themes and ideas; Reflections, where I share my own observations and thoughts inspired by hundreds of conversations with creative artists; Legends, featuring iconic artists who helped to define their fields; and Essays, which allows me to step back and explore larger themes such as creativity, success, purpose, curiosity, and the creative journey itself. At the same time, I experienced a similar revelation about my music. For years, Project Grand Slam was presented primarily as a catalog of albums and songs. But when I stepped back and looked at the body of work I had created—more than 150 original compositions spanning jazz, fusion, rock, Latin, vocals, instrumentals, collaborations, and other styles—I realized that it too deserved a more thoughtful and curated presentation. So I completely reimagined the Project Grand Slam website, organizing the music into thematic collections that guide visitors through different aspects of the musical journey. The result is that Follow Your Dream and Project Grand Slam are now presented as interconnected creative platforms—one centered on conversations and ideas, the other on music and artistic expression. Both reflect the same lifelong commitment to creativity, curiosity, exploration, and following one's dream. I invite you to explore them.http://www.followyourdreampodcast.com http://www.projectgrandslam.com This is Robert Miller with Follow Your Dream.