109. Michael League: Building Snarky Puppy & GroundUP, "Lingus," Cory Henry, David Crosby, Jazz Fusion

109. Michael League: Building Snarky Puppy & GroundUP, "Lingus," Cory Henry, David Crosby, Jazz Fusion

From Go with Elmo Lovano by Elmo Lovano

July 18, 2026 · 2h 22m

About this episode

Michael League discusses his journey in building Snarky Puppy and GroundUP Music, focusing on the mechanics of leading a successful music collective.

Episode 109: Michael League is the founder of Snarky Puppy, the GroundUP Music label, and the GroundUP Music Festival, and he's one of the most independent minds working in music today. He sat down with us for a deep conversation about how he built the whole thing. This isn't an interview about bass tone or gear. It's about how the entire machine actually works: how a bandleader turns a college project into a five-time Grammy-winning institution, an artist-first record label, and an international festival, all on his own terms, and all without a major label calling the shots. We trace the whole arc. League started Snarky Puppy in 2004 at the University of North Texas because he wasn't getting to play, so he built his own band. It transformed when he immersed himself in the Dallas gospel and R&B scene, absorbing the mentorship of the late Bernard Wright, the "North Star" who reshaped its feel. Out of that came the Snarky Puppy sound and the rotating cast fans call "the Fam," nearly 40 players who launched solo careers like Cory Henry's ("Lingus" is one of the most-watched instrumental performances online), Bill Laurance, Mark Lettieri, Larnell Lewis, Robert "Sput" Searight, and…

People in this episode

Host: Elmo Lovano

Guest: Michael League

Topics covered

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Snarky Puppy, GroundUP Music

Books & works: Lingus

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