Two Way Street

Five-Time GRAMMY nominee and member of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame (among other halls of fame) Candi Staton has seen a lot in her 80 years. From growing up in Alabama singing in church to becoming a star of the Chitlin' Circuit to recording influential records with the late great Rick Hall at FAME Records in Muscle Shoals to surviving multiple instances of domestic abuse and rising to become an outspoken leader against abuse, Candi's perseverance is nothing short of amazing. Bill spoke with her about her life as the First Lady of Southern Soul and her two new records supporting today's civil rights protests. Warning: this episode contains detailed accounts of domestic abuse.

Joe Alterman, a 31-year-old Jewish man from Atlanta, has carved out a space for himself among the jazz piano greats he grew up idolizing. After seeing Oscar Peterson perform live at Birdland, an iconic jazz venue, and going on to earn a Master's Degree in Music, Joe found himself on the same stage. Nat Hentoff - widely considered the most influential writer in jazz history - wrote his final piece for the Wall Street Journal about Joe. Speaking about that article, Hentoff said, "[Joe] is really the personification of the past of jazz - he's really deep into that -, the present of jazz - he has his own voice - and that leads him into the future of jazz... [he] makes recordings that are 'beyond category' because they're timeless." Bill Nigut called Joe earlier in the pandemic to discuss Joe's background and life in quarantine.

When there is a gathering of the brightest minds in Nashville, Traci Thomas is almost always in the room. In Traci's career as a publicist and then manager she has worked with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Steve Earle, Drive By Truckers, Chris Thile and many more. Those musicians do not stumble when discussing the immense impact Traci has made on their careers. Join us as we sit down with Traci to discuss her background as a Nashville native and music industry veteran, Jason Isbell's recent album release and how her artists are handling the pandemic.

Brandon Bush discusses his life as a musician in quarantine. From laughing in the green room with Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson during the time that we would come to learn they were infected with COVID-19 to navigating Sugarland’s evaporating tour schedule during the pandemic, Brandon shares stories you won’t want to miss!