Mad Valley Lodge Podcast

The two set up shop, writing and picking on their front porch. The house became a staple, coined the Mad Valley Lodge, the home that would become the well where the songs of 12 Kinds Of Lost layed, honored by its image as the album’s artwork. A musician’s collective, the house is a landing spot for intimate performance showcases of fellow troubadours passing through Nashville. Pankey documents the happenings on his Mad Valley Lodge podcast. 12 Kinds Of Lost is My Politic’s first studio album, a progression from their previous bare bones and basement recordings released previously. This is a band that represents togetherness and community. Like old cowboys used to sit around a fire telling fables, My Politic shares tales of uncharted territory where great art still blossoms.

Adam Taylor has worked with many artist in many different studios around Nashville. Here is the short list. Don Henley: Cass County Sam Bush: Story Man Inside Llewyn Davis Soundtrack Lee Brice: Hard to Love

Combining a two toned ameri-grass sound, band mates Nikole Martine, and Adam Cohen have crafted a blend of folk rock meets the southwest. The pair met in October of 2016, working downtown Nashville while rolling silverware, and have been collaborating ever since. Adam, a Florida native, and Nikole, a Texan by birth, bring fluidity through their melodic lines and nostalgic guitar leads. The pair create strong, but haunting harmonies to create a wall of sound that isn't silenced until the last chord is played. Recently having come off of an extensive tour through Texas, the duo has settled back in Tennessee and are gearing up to release their first EP in October of 2017. With distinctive tracks ranging from "Suze Lee", the tale of an unusually short bartender with emotional issues, to "Vagabond", a narrative of the pairs combined experiences while traveling together, River Tramps will draw the listener in with intensity and grace.

While The Prescriptions may come by their Southern style of narrative storytelling honestly, they refuse to rest on the laurels of their musical heritage. Songs like “She Is Waiting” prove that they’re just as comfortable launching into a heavy, alt-country breakdown as they are a world-weary lyrical stream of consciousness. The Prescriptions channel a broad range of influences, from the aching, unaffected honesty of ‘70s folk titans like Neil Young, to the guitar-driven melodies of The Strokes’ early recordings and the experimental energy of Wilco. The band is set to start recording their first full length album at the legendary Sound Emporium Studios this spring. It’s clear that The Prescriptions are somewhat of a rarity in the modern musical landscape: a group of close friends that are more concerned with pushing each other’s creative boundaries rather than pushing a sound you’ve heard before. - Hilli Levin

Over the past few years, you could find Josh Preston playing with a number of bands (The Mables, Daphne & The Mystery Machines, Adam Burrows, Tumbleweed Company) around Nashville on any given night of the week. It was this submersion in Music City’s stylistic stew of rock, pop, funk, blues and Americana that transformed his guitar playing and personalized his approach to songwriting. The experiences and observations gathered during this time have embedded themselves on his new, self-titled release. Backed by musicians with a deep connection to the musical roots of rock and soul, these well-crafted songs dance from heartfelt to humorous and shine a spotlight on who he's become as an artist. Josh Preston's self-titled release is an honest reflection on both his social status and the status quo.

Quinn DeVeaux has the smoothest yet dirty spank you voice we've heard in decades. With all the style and subtlety of the great soul/blues singers of the earth bound golden days. His honest and telling delivery grabs you and paints a story on the wall of your mind where you’ll long to stay and admire the view.

Josh Washam is a singer, songwriter, guitar player, record maker. Currently based in Nashville, he spent his youth in Souderton, Pennsylvania and his college years in Boston. Josh has been writing and recording original songs since his early teens. While honing the studio craft at Berklee College of Music he formed the duo rock band Natural Forces. With two EPs and two LPs of rocking electric Natural Forces songs out in the world, he is currently working on a new acoustic endeavor. The eight song record ‘The Washam Machine’ is in the process of being completed and shows are being booked to support its release.

You’re going to remember Adam Burrows. As a songwriter and performer of singular accomplishment, Burrows’ warm and witty observations explore the beautiful landscapes found just beyond familiar horizons. Unpretentious and conversational, he offers songs that reflect his small town upbringing, celebrating the simplest of everyday moments in the words of characters that remain with you like old friends. As a gifted storyteller who’s practiced his rhythm, Adam delivers these narratives with percussive finger-picking and melodies that can haunt your idle moments for days. There’s just something honest, fresh, and unique about Adam’s style that resonates. Respected Nashville DJ, Wells Adams says, “Adam Burrows is one of the best lyricists in this town, which is saying a lot in Music City, USA. I have lost count of the number of times I have featured him on my radio show and I’m itching to spin more of his records. He has played our showcases (Lightning 100) and left audience members and fellow musicians alike in awe. This guy is the real deal.” Adam’s formative years in his native Ohio prepared him to make a move to Nashville, and in the decade that’s since passed, the evidence has shown that it’s where he ought to be. He’s been spotlighted for his exceptional work at respected venues across the region, been nominated in annual song writing competitions, and maintained an honored presence on radio programmers’ playlists, in Nashville and distant airwaves elsewhere. He’s not one to hunker down in one spot, though— Burrows has toured the United States and Canada, and ranged as far as Sicily, Ireland, and Germany at the invitation of grateful audiences and other artists who admire his work. Internationally-known, Australian artist, Stu Larsen writes, “When Mike (Passenger) and I were on the road in North America last year, a guy came up to me after a show in Washington D.C. and gave me three of his road trip CDs which he thought we might like. We fell in love with one of them in particular, an album called Tall Tales by Adam Burrows. It quickly became a favourite and I’ve had a number of these tracks stuck in my head over the last six months. In fact, I loved these songs so much that I got in touch with Adam to tell him how much I loved his work and I ended up inviting him to tour with me through North America. I love how this world connects people.” Adam has played at respected venues and festivals such as Musikfest, BMI’s 8 Off 8th, YouBloom LA, Bluebird Cafe, Musicians Corner, and Music City Roots. He was nominated for the Deli Nashville’s Best of 2012 Poll for Emerging Artists and was a Top eight finalist in Lightning 100’s 2013 Music City Mayhem contest. Last year Adam recorded a Daytrotter Session, was selected for an official showcase at Folk Alliance International, was chosen as a finalist in the South Florida Folk Festival’s songwriting competition, toured on the Song and Whispers Songwriter’s circuit in Germany, and had his song “Right” featured as a top-ten song of the week in Alternate Root Magazine. Following up his three previous albums, Tall Tales, Never One for Silence, and Forward, he is currently working on a fourth album, and perfecting his newer material in live performances as often as possible.

Having written and performed original material since the age of 16, Dustin Lowman sings with a vigor and intensity known to captivate even the most skeptical of audiences. Guided by the totemic powers of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and countless others, he seeks to distinguish himself as one of his generation's finest original voices.

Von Strantz, two Chicagoland sisters estranged from birth, with two different upbringings, from across the continent finally meet. They took their now known commonalities and in 2013 joined their last names Von Strantz to create music and art from life’s adversities Utilizing a variety of instruments such as violin, cello, keys, guitar and feet percussion, Von Strantz unites harmonies strung together by commanding and soulful lyrics. With story-sharing as their passion. Von Strantz invites their audience into the emotion of each piece. In 2015 Von Strantz won “Eddie’s Attic Songwriting Shoot-out”. The duo has traveled extensively performing many festivals and venues including Electric Forest, Hard Rock Cafe, Schuba’s, Paper City Music Fest, Audiofeed, Starry Night ,Steel Bridge Music Fest, Mile of Music, and has shared the stage with some of their favorite artists, My Brightest Diamond, Josh Garrels, Crystal Bowersox, Over The Rhine, Howie Day & A Silent Film to name a few. Von Strantz is also Sofar Sounds Alumni. Von Strantz has released 4 EPs in the last 3 years “Narratives Chapter III: Eighteen Eighteen” their newest is out now and sold on iTunes, google play & amazon!

Leah Grams Johnson is a singer-songwriter hailing from Northern California. Her unique take on Country and Contemporary Folk music has resonated with fans of all musical backgrounds nationwide. Intelligent, warm, and passionate, her music serves as a true reflection of her character. Leah has been performing since 2008 and continues to amaze crowds with her natural grace and charisma. She is an alumna of Berklee College of Music’s songwriting program and has worked closely with the songwriting community’s leaders to further her craft. Winning over artists, critics, and audiences alike with her talent and charm, Leah is developing what is sure to be a long and memorable career.

Hailing from the mountains of Montana, and making a home in Nashville, TN, Ira Wolf's music and writing is filled with "..original and accessible lyrics without a hint of cliches." With two studio albums to share, Ira has performed on stages across the U.S., parts of Europe, and Southeast Asia since she began touring in 2014. She draws from personal experience, and connects on an intimate level with her audience through her honest lyrics and melancholy vocals. With roots in folk, americana and bluegrass genres, Ira has found a unique sound that resonates well with any crowd. A former Berklee College of Music student, Ira has been recognized for her lyrical content, and vocal capabilities in multiple songwriting competitions including Rocky Mountain Folks Festival Songwriter Showcase, Great American Song Contest Finalist, International Songwriting Competition Semi-Finalist, Gate City Music Festival Songwriting Competition Winner, CT Folk Festival Top Five Songwriting Finalist, and a scholarship recipient for Folk Alliance International's 2015 Conference. Beyond songwriting and performing, Ira has been acknowledged for her fearless dedication to a full-time touring schedule as a soloist. As she has continued living on the road throughout the past two years, her music and lifestyle have been featured in blogs such as She-Explores 'Women on the Road', and Sonicbids 'Success Stories'. Ira recently returned from a five-month-long run; The Gowesty Tour, after releasing her sophomore album 'Honest' in March. She continues to tour extensively inside the states and overseas as she works toward her next project.

In middle Tennessee there lies a collaborative retreat for musicians and audio engineers driven by the primary instrumentation, structure, and lyrics of singer/songwriter/producer Ethan Samuel Brown. Ethan is a neofolk lyricist combining elements of traditionalist european folk and appalacian newgrass to contrive a melodic concoction of modern, unique folk music. Ethan's impressionable years were spent in his birth place of the Appalachian slag heaps in Eastern Kentucky. Ingesting nights of moonshine soaked bluegrass parties through the young eyes of sobriety, he became obsessed with studying the poems and lyrics of folk musicians and authors who experienced a similar, timeless upbringing. After jumping across the commonwealth and eventually landing on the other side of the Ohio river in Cincinnati, he embarked on a rigorous study of stringed instruments. At 18, he made the move to Nashville. Here, He studied music production under many successful industry professionals on historic Music Row. After spending a couple of years mingling through the east side of music city as an audio engineer and a concert promoter, he began pursuing a career as a solo artist, performing consistently at venues across the country. He later returned to Nashville and hand selected a core of music city professionals to back his centralized vision. Ethan is currently writing and recording his debut album in Nashville, TN at Yellow Box Sound Studios and APTKB.

The Cordovas are Joe Firstman, Lucca Soria, Jon Loyd and Graham Spillman. Out of Nashville, TN, Cordovas sound is based in harmony, song and musicianship. Firstman released two albums on Atlantic Records in the early 2000's including the acclaimed War of Women. 24 year old songsmith, Des Moines' Lucca Soria writes, sings and plays guitar. He has several compositions on the forthcoming Cordovas album. Keyboardist Jon Loyd is an original Cordova. A native of Macon, GA , Loyd's high notes and piano style make the bands sound recognizable and unforgettable. His musical genius is well known in Nashville musical circles. Born in Redondo Beach California, Graham Spillman is on drums. The 25 year old Berkeley-College-of-Music-drop-out also sings and pens tunes for the group. Cordovas will release a new full length album produced by two time Grammy Nominee Kenneth Pattengale, of Milk Carton Kids, this summer. Jamie Ruben, Nashville Legend and owner of the storied music venue, Family Wash says of the band " They're fantastic! Beautiful and real music, a rarity these days." Long time booker Tom Bianchi of Boston's, The Burren, says "Easily one of the best bands we've had in 20 years"

Pate and Cage are a high-energy folk duo based out of Nashville, TN. The Minnesota-bred Irish potato, Cait Leary, and Arkansa-Mexican jalepeño, Paige Flores, are all about weaving intricate harmonies and getting their melodies stuck in your head. Their style is sporadic, their manner is quirky and they will leave you asking, "what just happened?"

Up and coming fiddler and singer/songwriter Jen Starsinic’s musical journey has, thus far, been quite impressive. After landing a full-time bluegrass fiddling gig at the age of 14, busking on street corners, studying old time at its source in Clifftop, WV, attending the Berklee College of Music, and hitting the road with top touring Americana bands such as The David Mayfield Parade, Darol Anger and The Republic of Strings, and Nora Jane Struthers, Starsinic is ready to stand on her own two feet. Starsinic just released The Flood and The Fire, her debut record.

The experiences and observations gathered together in the preceding ten years of life in Nashville have embedded themselves into the songs on Josh Preston's new, self-titled release. The songs range from heartfelt to humorous and they shine a light on who he's become as both a songwriter and a guitarist. Backed by musicians who have a deep connection to the musical roots of soul and jazz, the tracks that make up Josh Preston's self-titled release are a culmination of his varied musical endeavors as a solo artist, band member and a sideman.

Damien Boggs has a conversation and plays some songs at the Mad Valley Lodge.