Mary Chapin Carpenter

Mary Chapin Carpenter

From The Working Songwriter by Joe Pug

May 1, 2026 · 40 min

About this episode

Mary Chapin Carpenter discusses her musical journey and achievements in this episode.

Our guest this week on the Working Songwriter hails from my neck of the woods, Washington, D.C. Mary Chapin Carpenter got her start in the proto-Americana music scene of 1970s and '80s D.C. She broke out of that local circuit with her signing to Columbia Records; her debut album went quadruple platinum. She’s toured with Emmylou Harris, Shawn Colvin, and Rosanne Cash, she’s won five GRAMMY Awards, two CMA Awards, and two Academy of Country Music Awards. Her song, “Shut Up and Kiss Me,” went to the top of the country radio charts. Chapin Carpenter has appeared on the Late Night with David Letterman and Rolling Stone calls her "one of the most grounded, sentient songwriters of her generation." NPR has said that she’s “a singular voice in country and folk” and the New York Times praises her “intelligent, literate songwriting with emotional depth.” Simply put, she’s an all-timer. I got a chance to catch up with her earlier this year and hear about her musical journey so far. Interested in sponsoring us? Contact BGS: https://bit.ly/sponsorBGSpods

People in this episode

Host: Joe Pug

Guest: Mary Chapin Carpenter

Topics covered

  • music
  • songwriting
  • country
  • folk
  • interviews
  • GRAMMY Awards

Keywords

  • Mary Chapin Carpenter
  • country music
  • songwriter
  • GRAMMY Awards
  • Columbia Records
  • interview

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Columbia Records, NPR, Rolling Stone, New York Times

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