The Working Songwriter

This Grammy award winning instrumentalist is considered the contemporary master of the dobro.  He's played with everyone from Ray Charles to Billy Strings over the course of his decades long career.

This journeyman songwriter has written for Hoottie & the Blowfish, Lee Brice, Josh Turner, Craig Morgan and many others.  He has stepped into the spotlight with an album of his own entitled "Cowboy Things".

Zack Fischmann is a musician who makes outsider folk music under the name Marmalade Mountain, but he has also built a music marketing consulting company that is supremely useful to independent artists.

This Grammy nominated singer-songwriter has worked with luminaries such as Jackson Browne, The Who and The Grateful Dead's Bob Weir, all the while maintaining her fruitful solo career.

This Grammy award winning producer, songwriter, and author joins the show to discuss his lengthy career that has included collaborations with The Civil Wars, Chris Cornell, and the Lone Bellow.

This artist has spent a lifetime helming influential bands like The dB's and contributing to major bands such as REM.      

A weekend of intensive songwriting workshops, podcasts, and concerts at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, IL May 23-25, 2025.  Tickets available now.  Visit joepugmusic.com/tour for more details!

Josh Ostrander is the creative force behind this beloved indie rock band.  They've toured with Spoon, Muse, and Vance Joy.  And their tunes have racked up tens of millions of downloads on Spotify.

This native of Mississippi has written for Darius Rucker and Kane Brown, and toured with Carrie Underwood, Old Dominion and many others.  His songs have amassed nearly 300 million streams on Spotify and his latest single features country heavyweight Thomas Rhett.

This award winning South African songwriter has crafted an indelible career over decades with his bands All Night Radio and Big Sky, along with his acclaimed solo work.

Shara Nova is the creative force behind this hugely influential indie pop solo project.  She as worked with Sufjan Stevens, David Byrne, and Laurie Anderson.

This journeyman roots music artist has toured with Steve Earle, Adam Duritz and many others.  He's recorded for Universal Music and Vanguard Records.  And he's become one of the torch bearers for American songwriting over the last 25 years.

This group from Portland, Oregon tours the country with a novel blend of American roots music that features show-stopping vocal harmonies.

This legendary songwriter has toured with Lucinda Williams and Alejandro Escovedo, and collaborated with Warren Zevon.

This celebrated songwriter stops by the show to discuss her years touring with Dolly Parton, singing with Kenny Chesney, and releasing albums that were mainstays on country radio.

One of the founders of this legendary Austin band, Miles Zuniga, stops by the show to talk about their chart-topping hit songs, and the musical legacy that continues with their new album "Sonic Ranch".

Mike Harmeier is the leader of this beloved Texas country music band that's been traveling the country and releasing records for nearly 18 years.  They've appeared at ACL, Stagecoach, and the Grand Ole Opry.

The founder of this profoundly influential group talks about their early days in Los Angeles, touring with REM and U2, and his recently published memoir.

Diego Garcia is the guitar virtuoso and creative force behind this project that has toured the world, garnering acclaim and awards.

This artist is on the third decade of a career that his included collaborations with Indigo Girls, John Mayer, Gregg Allman, KT Tunstall, and many others.

This songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has toured with Regina Spektor, of Montreal, and many others.  He's recorded for Joyful Noise records and has built a largely grassroots following all over the globe.

Nicholas Carpenter is the creative force behind this band that hails from Alaska, which has toured with FINNEAS and Tyler Chiders, and recorded for Island Records.

This troubadour was a founding member of the legendary British folk group, Fairport Convention, and has gone on to have solo recording career that has spanned six decades.

This songwriter from Nebraska has toured with Ron Pope and Tallest Man on Earth, in addition to recording for Fantasy Records.

Blake Christiana is the creative force behind this relentlessly touring band that has shared the stage with Dwight Yoakam, Marty Stuart, and Allison Krauss.

Listen to the first single from my forthcoming album "Joe Pug - Live at the Old Town School of Folk Music".  Thanks for supporting the podcast and my tunes as well!

During a career that has featured stints with Drivn' and Cryin' and Jason Isbell's 400 Unit, this guitar hero has lately been spreading his wings with a critically acclaimed solo project.

This native of Kentucky is an accomplished songwriter, cellist, and film scorer who has collaborated with Abigail Washburn, Bela Fleck and Jim James of My Morning Jacket.

This native of Ohio has carved out a 30 year career in Nashville with songs cut by Trisha Yearwood, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Radney Foster.  And her sought-after voice has appeared on albums by Jason Isbell and Ryan Adams.

This young rock group out of Los Angeles has played Coachella twice and toured with Interpol, Chicano Batman, and many others.

This native Californian moved to Nashville and went on to write songs recorded by Willie Nelson and Jessica Simpson.  She's collaborated with Dwight Yoakam, Vince Gill, and many more.

This drummer, songwriter, producer and filmmaker got his start by founding the North Mississippi All Stars with his brother Luther.  He has since gone onto a career that has encompassed Grammies, supergroups, and film scores.

Eric Earley is the songwriter behind this PNW roots music mainstay that has toured with Pavement, Drive By Truckers, Dawes and many others.

Israel Nebecker is the the creative force behind this influential acoustic band from Astoria, OR.  He stops by the show to discuss living in a tree house in their early years, recording with Tucker Martine, and finding inspiration after a significant hiatus between albums.

The folk supergroup composed of Anais Mitchell (Hadestown), Eric D. Johnson (Fruit Bats), and Josh Kauffman (Josh Ritter, Bob Weir), returns to the show to discuss their latest album which was recorded in a century-old pub in Cork County Ireland.

This Berklee College of Music grad discusses her years writing songs for other artists such as Demi Lovato, and her meteoric rise as an artist in her own right over the last five years.

This luminary of American roots music discusses his years on the road with Leftover Salmon, Great American Taxi, and The High Hawks.

This legendary musician and songwriter was integral to the Staxx Records sound, and has writing credits on "Green Onions" and "Sittin' On The Dock of the Bay".

This Oregon native has toured with John Mayer, Sheryl Crowe and Train.  He's also recorded for Columbia and Universal Republic records over the course of his remarkable career over two decades.

This legendary band from New England has toured with everyone from Phish to John Mayer to Dave Matthews Band.  They've experience underground success and Gold singles.  Their creative leader Ryan Miller stops by the show to discuss their long journey in music.

This Grammy award winning bluegrass band from North Carolina has been active for nearly a quarter century.  They stop by the show to discuss their years as a group, including their auspicious collaboration with the legendary comedian Steve Martin.

Monique Powell is the lead singer of this legendary ska punk band from Orange County CA, who have been blazing their on trail in music for three decades now.

This American songwriter and producer has written for and with Darius Rucker, Lady Antebellum, Jewel, Pat Green and Guy Clark.  He joins the show to discuss his career of writing for himself and for other artists.

Ed Roland is the creative force behind this legendary American rock band, he stops by the show to discuss the unlikely way that the band broke and their three decade career thereafter.

This songwriter has recorded for RCA and Interscope Records, and toured with AWOLNATION, Third Eye Blind, and Dashboard Confessional.  Recently, she has had to navigate the unexpected medical condition of sudden hearing loss.  An inspirational story from an inspirational artist.

This native of Ontario has written and recorded platinum singles of his own, while also remaining a contributing member of the legendary rock band Styx.

This founding member of the wildly popular group Lake Street Dive joins the show to discuss her new solo project, her early years learning the upright bass, and composing with a group.

This celebrated film and television actor who spent nine seasons on How I Met Your Mother on CBS, is well on his way to establishing his career as a recording artist.

This celebrated young bluegrass outfit from Montana has toured with Goose, Infamous Stringdusters, Greensky Bluegrass and many others.

This California native pulled a stint in Dirty Projectors, and then formed the band Coco before striking out on her own.

This bandleader recounts their humble origins in Lubbock, having their song "Taste" take off on local radio, and their wild musical journey ever since.