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3K to 18K🎙 Daily cadence·92 episodes·Last published yesterday - Monthly Reach
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Recent episodes
WTRFT S2E37 - Foggy Memory Boys
May 19, 2026
48m 31s
WTRFT S2E36 - Jon "Barber" Gutwillig - Disco Biscuits
May 12, 2026
43m 55s
WTRFT S2E35 - Liver Down The River
May 12, 2026
32m 48s
WTRFT S2E34 - Joe Lessard & Matt Loewen - Head For The Hills
May 5, 2026
49m 54s
WTRFT S2E33 - Dylan Flynn - Magoo
Apr 28, 2026
1h 16m 07s
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| Date | Episode | Description | Length | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/19/26 | ![]() WTRFT S2E37 - Foggy Memory Boys | 🎻🔥 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi and Shay sit down with New Mexico’s own Foggy Memory Boys for a conversation full of wildgrass chaos, festival lore, lamp camp philosophy, and the beautiful madness of building a band from the ground up. 🌵✨What started as a trio of friends jamming in Taos turned into one of the most unique sounds in the Southwest scene…🎶 Teaching themselves instruments and learning music completely by feel 🏆 Winning a mandolin competition after only knowing a few songs 🌌 Finding inspiration through Grisman, the Dead, bluegrass jams, and psychedelic festival culture 🔥 Building a sound that blends jamgrass, songwriting, improvisation, and pure New Mexico weirdnessBut this episode goes way deeper than just the music…🏕️ The legendary story behind “Lamp Camp” and how one Coleman lantern became a full-blown festival beacon for late-night jams 🚐 Grinding through bars, festivals, and DIY touring while building a loyal grassroots following 💔 Recording their first album right as the pandemic shut the world down 🎥 Learning how to survive in the social media era while staying authentic and unapologetically themselvesAnd honestly… this episode is exactly what independent music is supposed to feel like.⚡ Friends first, band second 🎶 Community over clout 🍻 Playing for 12 people like it’s 12,000 🔥 Creating music because they love it — not because it fits neatly into a genre boxAt its core, this episode is about chasing connection, embracing imperfections, and building something real with the people around you.🎧 Tap in now wherever you listen to podcasts. This one’s hilarious, heartfelt, slightly unhinged, and packed with the kind of stories that only happen deep in the festival trenches. 🌲💨✨#WhatsTheReasonForThis #FoggyMemoryBoys #JamGrass | 48m 31s | ||||||
| 5/12/26 | ![]() WTRFT S2E36 - Jon "Barber" Gutwillig - Disco Biscuits | 🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi heads into the dungeon with Jon “Barber” Gutwillig of The Disco Biscuits for a deep dive into improvisation, originality, the evolution of the jam scene, and what it really means to create something completely your own. 🎸🔥 Fresh off a massive run of Vegas aftershows during Phish Sphere weekend, Barber opens up about the mindset behind improvisation and why, after 30 years, the Biscuits still approach jamming less like a formula… and more like chasing a feeling in real time. 🌌🎶This one starts in the chaos of the jam itself…🎸 The Disco Biscuits’ obsession with improvisation — “nobody jams more than the Biscuits” 🧠 Singing every note while playing to stay connected to melodies and ideas inside a jam ⚡ Flow state, muscle memory, and why some of the best moments happen completely unconsciously 🎶 Accidentally quoting his own guitar playing from decades ago without even realizing itBut then the conversation opens into something much bigger…🔥 The early jam scene days — when originality mattered more than perfection 🎧 Why modern music feels more focused on refinement and imitation instead of exploration 🎼 Barber’s approach to originality: intentionally avoiding music he was afraid of subconsciously copying 🎹 The influence of jazz legends like Monk, Miles Davis, and McLaughlin on finding your own voiceAnd then… it gets philosophical.💭 Why jam bands don’t always get the credit they deserve as musicians 🎸 The difference between technical guitar playing and truly serving a jam ⚖️ Why less notes can sometimes create more impact inside improvisation 🌌 The challenge of creating art for yourself instead of chasing audience expectationsThe episode also dives into the evolution of the scene itself…🚐 Burned CDs, tiny clubs, and discovering the Biscuits in the early 2000s before streaming existed 🏔️ Colorado becoming one of the greatest concert markets in the country 🎟️ The rising cost of concerts and how the live music experience has changed 🤝 Why the jam scene still creates some of the deepest friendships and strongest communities in musicAnd of course… things get hilariously weird too.🚗 The legendary story of a fan driving a car directly into a hotel room during the early Biscuits days 🤯 The infamous First Bank Center stage-diving incident that nobody can fully explain 😂 Wooks, stereotypes, and why outsiders still don’t fully understand jam cultureThen the conversation comes full circle…🏕️ Returning to Colorado for a three-night Memorial Day run at the legendary Mishawaka Amphitheatre 🎶 Fan-voted setlists, intimate mountain shows, and why the Mish remains one of the most magical venues in the country 🔥 Reflecting on 30+ years of building a scene that was never supposed to last this longAt its core, this episode is about authenticity — trusting your instincts, embracing experimentation, and refusing to sand down the weird parts of yourself just to fit into someone else’s version of success. ✨🎧 Tap in now wherever you listen to podcasts. This one’s funny, thoughtful, wildly insightful, and a rare glimpse inside the mind of one of the true architects of the modern jam scene. 🎸🌌#WhatsTheReasonForThis #DiscoBiscuits #JonBarber | 43m 55s | ||||||
| 5/12/26 | ![]() WTRFT S2E35 - Liver Down The River | 🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi and Shay welcome Liver Down the River into the dungeon for a conversation packed with psychedelic bluegrass chaos, festival stories, Colorado roots, and the beautiful weirdness that’s helped make them staples of the mountain music scene. 🪕🔥🐟 Fresh off a ripping dungeon session, the band dives into the story behind their self-created genre…🌈 “Funkadeligrass” — a wild blend of funk, bluegrass, jam, rock, and psychedelic energy that somehow makes perfect sense once you hear it live. 🎶✨The episode starts back in Durango…🏔️ Meeting in college after Patty spotted Emily biking home from orchestra practice with a viola on her back 🎻 Falling into bluegrass together as former orchestra kids chasing something less polished and way more free 🔥 Discovering Yonder Mountain, Jeff Austin, and jamgrass culture as the gateway into improvisation and community 🖤 The surprisingly real emo-kid-to-bluegrass pipelineBut things really evolve when the band moves to the Front Range during COVID…🚐 Rebuilding the lineup from the ground up during lockdowns and bubble-show era Colorado 🥁 Bringing in new members with backgrounds in jazz, funk, rock, and jam music 🎶 Learning how to communicate through improvisation and create space for each other inside the musicAnd then… the conversation shifts into something bigger than just the band.💸 The reality of trying to survive as independent musicians 🎟️ Learning how to value yourself, negotiate pay, and avoid getting taken advantage of 🤝 Why local scenes only survive when artists and fans support each otherWhich naturally leads to the story behind Tico Time Bluegrass Festival…🏕️ How a random river rafting takeout turned into one of Colorado’s most beloved grassroots festivals 📞 Patty cold-calling the property owners during COVID after they asked online if anyone knew bluegrass bands 🎪 Building a festival culture centered around undercard acts, late-night pickin’ circles, and actual community instead of giant corporate vibesThe crew also gets into:🐟 The legendary stuffed salmon “Sammy” that’s been signed exclusively by members of Leftover Salmon 😂 The first-ever dungeon confetti cannon incident 🎶 Why the best festival sets are usually the noon-time bands nobody’s heard of yet 🔥 And how campfire picks are still the heart of bluegrass cultureAt its core, this episode is about community — building something real with your friends, creating spaces where music matters, and remembering that the magic usually happens far away from the main stage. ✨🎧 Tap in now wherever you listen to podcasts. It’s hilarious, heartfelt, and one giant love letter to Colorado music culture. 🏔️🪕#WhatsTheReasonForThis #LiverDownTheRiver #Funkadeligrass #TicoTime | 32m 48s | ||||||
| 5/5/26 | ![]() WTRFT S2E34 - Joe Lessard & Matt Loewen - Head For The Hills | 🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi goes solo in the dungeon with two absolute pillars of the Colorado scene — Joe and Matt from Head for the Hills — for a full-circle conversation that hits nostalgia, growth, and everything in between. 🪕🔥 What starts as a trip down memory lane quickly turns into something bigger… a story about how a college dorm jam session turned into a 20+ year band that helped shape the Fort Collins and Front Range music scene. 🎶✨This one kicks off at the roots…🏫 Meeting in the CSU dorms and turning late-night picking into a real band 🍻 House parties, 30 racks for payment, and the early days of building a following 🌀 The Fort Collins scene in the early 2000s raw, wild, and full of possibilityBut then things start to take off…🔥 First shows, first crowds, and realizing “this might actually be something” 🎪 The early days of Picking on the Poudre and stepping onto the Mishawaka stage 🎶 Blending bluegrass with punk, rock, and improvisation to create their own soundAnd then comes the evolution…💿 Recording their first album in a pre-streaming world when CDs and word of mouth were everything 🎧 Getting pushed (hard) in the studio to refine their sound and cut the fat 🚐 Touring the old-school way, MapQuest directions, burned CDs, and figuring it out as they wentBut this episode doesn’t shy away from the real stuff…⚖️ Navigating lineup changes, burnout, and the constant evolution of a band 🥁 Reinventing their sound by adding drums and reworking their entire catalog 🦠 Surviving COVID, learning to record themselves, and adapting to a new music landscapeAnd through it all… one thing stays constant.🤝 Prioritizing friendship over fame 🎶 Creating music because they love it not just for ticket sales 🌄 Staying rooted in the community that helped build themIt all leads to this moment…🎉 Celebrating 20 years of Picking on the Poudre 🏔️ Returning to the Mishawaka, the place where so much of the magic started 🔥 A full-circle milestone for a band that never stopped evolvingAt its core, this episode is about community, longevity, and doing it your way even when the industry, the trends, or the world try to push you in a different direction.🎧 Tap in now wherever you listen to podcasts. This one’s nostalgic, hilarious, and a reminder that some of the best things in life… start in a dorm room with your friends. 🪕✨#HeadForTheHills #PickingOnThePoudre #Mishawaka | 49m 54s | ||||||
| 4/28/26 | ![]() WTRFT S2E33 - Dylan Flynn - Magoo | 🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi and Shay are back in the dungeon with Dylan Flynn of Magoo— and this one goes way deeper than just the music. 🪕🔥 What starts as tour talk and band momentum quickly turns into something real… a conversation about creativity, anxiety, identity, and the voice in your head we’re all trying to figure out. 🧠✨This one kicks off with the whirlwind…🚐 Life on the road, 16 shows in 18 days and the grind that actually brings a band closer 🎶 Locking in as a unit how constant touring is tightening Magoo’s sound in real time ⚡ Adding new covers on the fly and building a catalog one song at a timeBut then… it shifts.🧠 “The Warden” the voice in your head that second-guesses everything you do ✍️ Turning anxiety into art how Dylan wrote a new song straight out of that internal battle ⚖️ Creativity and mental state why feeling good is when the music flows (and what happens when it doesn’t)And from there… it gets real personal.🌿 The truth about substances performance enhancers, dependency, and learning to find flow without them 🎯 Chasing flow state sober and why that’s the next evolution as a musician 💭 Years of anxiety, overthinking, and learning how to observe your thoughts instead of being consumed by themThen comes one of the most powerful turns of the episode…🖐️ A career-threatening hand injury that almost ended everything 🪕 Discovering the dobro out of necessity and completely changing his path 🧠 The mind-body connection how chronic pain, anxiety, and the brain are more connected than we think 💥 Rewiring his mindset and coming back stronger than everAnd just when you think it can’t go deeper…💔 A story about his grandmother passing during WinterWonderGrass and the unexpected, beautiful moment he shared with his dad that same night 🤝 The importance of connection, community, and showing up for each otherThen it circles back to the moment everyone’s been talking about…🔥 The Aggie Theatre blowout nerves, energy, and stepping into a new level 🚨 The Bluebird show, pure chaos, next-level jamming, and a night that felt like a true turning point 🎶 That feeling when a band clicks… and there’s no going backAt its core, this episode is about the battle inside your own head and what happens when you stop running from it and start turning it into something real.🎧 Tap in now wherever you listen to podcasts. This one’s raw, vulnerable, and a reminder that sometimes your biggest obstacle… is also your greatest source of creativity. 🧠✨#WhatsTheReasonForThis #Magoo #DylanFlynn | 1h 16m 07s | ||||||
| 4/20/26 | ![]() WTRFT S2E32 - Tray Wellington | 🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi flies solo in the dungeon and sits down with one of the most exciting and boundary-pushing banjo players in the game right now — Tray Wellington. 🪕🔥 From a small town in North Carolina to carving out his own lane in Nashville, Tray’s story is all about finding your voice, trusting your instincts, and refusing to be put in a box. 🌄🎶This one starts at the roots…🎣 Fishing trips with his grandfather, listening to Johnny Cash, Doc Watson, and helping build the foundation of his sound 🎸 Starting on electric guitar (thanks to Guitar Hero era chaos) before falling in love with the banjo 🪕 That first moment hearing three-finger banjo and knowing instantly… this was it 💰 Saving up from McDonald’s to buy his first banjo and going all inBut things really start to take shape when the path opens up…🎶 Growing up surrounded by an insane North Carolina music scene (Shadowgrass, Billy Strings connections, and more) 🎤 First gigs with Cane Mill Road and realizing music could actually be a career 🎓 The college years and the moment he decided he didn’t want to sound like anyone else but himselfAnd that’s where everything shifts.🔥 Breaking away to find his own sound instead of copying legends 💿 Creating Black Banjo — an album rooted in authenticity, identity, and truth ⚖️ Navigating expectations, stereotypes, and the pressure to fit into other people’s narrativesNow… he’s entering a whole new chapter.🚀 A brand new project “Heart on the Table” — blending banjo with hip-hop, jazz, R&B, and electronic elements 🎛️ Originally built solo at home, then transformed through collaboration into something bigger 🤝 Bringing in an all-star lineup to create the community-driven sound the album was missing 💡 The power of crowdfunding, trusting your fans, and building something real togetherAnd it all leads to this…🎶 First single “False Idols” drops April 22nd 💿 Full album coming July 10th 🔥 A project that might be his most authentic, vulnerable, and genre-defying work yetAt its core, this episode is about identity not letting the world tell you who to be, and having the courage to create something that’s fully, unapologetically you.🎧 Tap in now wherever you listen to podcasts. This one’s powerful, inspiring, and a reminder that the real magic happens when you stop trying to fit in… and start building your own lane. ✨#WhatsTheReasonForThis #TrayWellington #Banjo | 55m 40s | ||||||
| 3/31/26 | ![]() What's The Reason For This Podcast S2E29 - Mark "Huggy Bear" Lavengood | 🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi and Shay sit down in the dungeon with the one and only Mark “Huggy Bear” Lavengood, a walking vibe, a musical Swiss Army knife, and quite possibly the only man out here lifting Billy Strings off the ground mid-hug. 🐻🎶🔥From kitchen shifts at Founders Brewing to festival stages, studio builds, and full-on freak show hosting… this episode is a deep dive into the energy, evolution, and authenticity that make Huggy Bear exactly who he is.This one gets into: 🐻 The origin of “Huggy Bear” and how one job interview hug turned into a full-blown identity 🥁 Starting on drums, teaching himself everything by ear, and unlocking music through pure intuition 🎸 The moment the switch flipped realizing he could play anything and chasing it across instruments 🎶 Building roots with Winter Sessions and finding his lane through experimentation and improvBut this episode really opens up when the journey expands…🚐 Life on the road with Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellys seven years of touring, growth, and tough decisions ⚖️ Choosing family, balance, and creative freedom over the “all-in” road life 🏡 Building his own lane from Bear Den Studio to festivals, collaborations, and entrepreneurial chaos 💿 What’s next: a brand new project “Wake Up Vol. 1 & 2” and continuing to carve out his own soundAnd then… things get weird (in the best way possible).🎭 Getting the call from Billy Strings’ camp and stepping into the role of Freak Fair host 🟡 Running wild through Asheville in full character, interacting with fans, and bringing the chaos to life 🤝 The deep Michigan roots and long-standing connection with Billy and the crewAt its core, this episode is about being unapologetically yourself trusting your instincts, following your curiosity, and knowing when to pivot without losing the passion that got you there in the first place.🎧 Tap in now wherever you listen to podcasts. It’s hilarious, heartfelt, and a reminder that sometimes the best thing you can be… is just a damn good hug. 🐻✨#WhatsTheReasonForThis #MarkLavengood #HuggyBear | 55m 55s | ||||||
| 3/24/26 | ![]() What's The Reason For This Podcast S2 E28 - Will "Mustang" McGee | 🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi sits down in the dungeon with Will “Mustang” McGee the groove-driving backbone of Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country for a deep dive into music, identity, and what it really takes to build your own sound. 🐎🎸🔥 From Memphis soul roots to sold-out festival stages, Mustang breaks down the journey balancing life on the road, developing his voice as a bassist, and carving out space for his own artistry through his solo project Horseplay. 🎶✨ This episode dives into: 🎧 Growing up on Memphis music and the influence of legends like James Jamerson, Chuck Rainey, and Donald “Duck” Dunn 🎸 Finding your voice as a musician and why playing with others is the fastest way to grow 💿 The story behind Horseplay and how it captures his deeper R&B and soul roots 🎙️ The creative process starting with a single line, opening the “portal,” and letting songs pour out 🔥 Life inside Cosmic Country, fearless songwriting, live experimentation, and building songs on the flyAnd yes… they get into the chaos too.🥕 The infamous “carrot” phenomenon how fans started “feeding the horses” mid-jam and turned it into a full-blown live show tradition 🌌 Festival moments like WinterWonderGrass, Cantina Band comebacks, and commanding massive crowds in real time 🎨 Life outside music drawing, collaborating with his fiancée, and finding balance on the roadBut at its core, this episode is about identity and growth learning your craft, staying open to every opportunity, and trusting that every experience (even the messy ones) is shaping your sound.🎧 Stream it now wherever you get podcasts. It’s thoughtful, hilarious, and packed with real insight for anyone chasing creativity — whether you’re on stage or just getting started. 🌊✨#WhatsTheReasonForThis #MustangMcGee #CosmicCountry | 57m 35s | ||||||
| 3/17/26 | ![]() What's The Reason For This Podcast S2E27 - Banshee Tree | 🎶🔥 Banshee Tree: Evolution, Experimentation & the Road to a New Album 🔥🎶This week in the dungeon, the crew welcomes Colorado’s genre-bending powerhouse Banshee Tree for a wild and insightful conversation about the band’s evolution, their upcoming album, and the strange, beautiful road that got them here. 🌲✨From the early days playing weekly gigs under the Boulderado Hotel—with unlimited bar tabs and pheasant dinners—to touring the country and carving out a sound that refuses to sit inside any single genre, Banshee Tree shares the story behind more than a decade of musical experimentation.What started as a swing-inspired project slowly morphed into something entirely its own: a high-energy fusion of electro-swing, jam improvisation, Balkan rhythms, jazz, and psychedelic dance grooves. With each lineup change and musical influence, the band leaned further into the idea that their strength comes from giving every member space for their unique voice to shape the sound. 🎷🎹🥁In this episode we dive into:✨ The early Colorado scene that helped launch the band 🎶 How weekly gigs became the band’s experimentation laboratory 🚐 Life on the road—from Key West to the Pacific Northwest 🎷 The addition of sax, synth, and new sonic textures 💿 The long, meticulous process of crafting their upcoming album 🎤 Why their current sound finally captures the true spirit of the bandThe new record represents years of growth, lineup changes, studio experimentation, and relentless touring. After layering hundreds of tracks, refining arrangements, and reshaping songs along the way, the band is finally ready to share a project that reflects who Banshee Tree truly is today. 🌌And the celebration is just getting started.🎉 The official album release show is happening March 27th at the Fox Theatre in Boulder, where fans can get their hands on the physical vinyl before the digital release later in April.If you love discovering bands that push boundaries, blur genres, and build something completely their own… this is an episode you don’t want to miss.🎧 Tune in now and get ready to dive into the world of Banshee Tree. | 1h 10m 54s | ||||||
| 2/26/26 | ![]() What's The Reason For This Podcast - Cotter Ellis - Goose | 🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi hangs in the dungeon with none other than Cotter Ellis of Goose — and this one goes deep. 🥁🔥 From Vermont heady snowboard spots 🏂🌲 to driving 20 minute jam peaks in front of thousands, Cotter opens up about the journey, the grind, the growth, and the surreal full circle moments that brought him from Swimmer to the Goose drum throne. They dive into: 🥁 The drummers who shaped him. Bonham swagger, Neil Peart spectacle, and the caveman genius of Jay Lane 🎶 What it actually feels like to step into Goose. Milwaukee as the fearless foursome, The Cap shows, and finding chemistry fast 🌊 The art of building a jam. How peaks happen, how instinct takes over, and why preparation lets you stop thinking and just go 🐺 Why songs like Atlas Dogs unlocked a new rhythmic lane with those tribal 12/8 grooves 🎿 Colorado love. Ski tours, jam band meccas, and why Boise randomly ripsBut this episode is not just about drums. It is about improvised music as a reflection of life itself. The gray areas. The tension. The light and the dark. The arc of a show that makes you laugh, cry, and lose your mind in the same set. 🎢✨Cotter also gets real about: 💭 Goose hate, tribal fandoms, and staying open to constructive criticism 🤝 Community over competition and why music scenes should be melting pots instead of echo chambers 🔥 Launching Cotter and Friends and bringing Swimmer homies, Kyle Hollingsworth, Andy Hall, Torrin Daniels, and more together for genre bending chaosAt its core, this episode is about passion. The kind that makes you dig deeper behind the kit, trust the moment, and chase the unknown every single night.🎧 Stream it now wherever you get your podcasts. It is thoughtful, funny, introspective, and a reminder that the best jams and the best lives happen when you stop overthinking and dive in. 🌊💥 | 53m 48s | ||||||
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| 2/19/26 | ![]() What's The Reason For This Podcast - Wyatt Ellis & Christopher Henry - West Dakota Rose | 🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi sits down with Christopher Henry (Ol’ Clunky) and bluegrass phenom Wyatt Ellis to celebrate something truly special, the release of Wyatt’s brand-new recording of “West Dakota Rose”… and the official music video dropping on YouTube the very same day this episode airs. 🌹🎻🔥 Huge shout out to Joseph Cash (Yes, that’s Johnny’s grandson) of Weeping Willow Productions in producing this amazing video. 🎥🐎🧭🥀Check it out here: https://youtu.be/mUHbBEedWagFor years, West Dakota Rose has taken on a life of its own, from Billy Strings performing it in Asheville three years running, to festival fields and jam circles across the country. But now, the song comes full circle: teacher and student, mentor and protégé, Jedi master and Padawan, stepping into the studio together to create a definitive new rendition. 🎶✨This episode dives into: 🌹 The origin story behind West Dakota Rose love, loss, horses, and harmonic shifts between dark and light 🎻 Wyatt’s evolution from tab-reading beginner to ear-trained improviser steeped in Monroe’s vocabulary 🔥 Recording the track live as a band twin fiddles, Kyle Tuttle on banjo, and capturing the energy in the room 🏡 Filming the official music video at Bill Monroe’s old home place blasting the tune through the same walls where bluegrass history was born 🧭 The layered artwork and symbolism, horseshoes, compass roses, and community tributes woven into the visualizer and merchThe conversation also honors the late Jack Demurjian of Red Daisy Sporting Club ☄️ whose vision and spirit helped inspire new West Dakota Rose artwork that ties together horse medicine, compass imagery, and the deeper mythology behind the tune. 🤍At its core, this episode is about legacy how songs grow beyond their writers, how mentorship becomes collaboration, and how bluegrass remains a living language passed down by ear, by heart, and by community.🎥 The official “West Dakota Rose” music video is live now on Wyatt Ellis’ YouTube channel.Special shoutout to Hayden Karnes of @DefinitelyNotLosAngeles 🎨✨ for creating the stunning album artwork, a piece that visually captures the spirit of the song with western mythology, movement, and meaning woven into every detail. Check out his artwork in a new line of WDR merch available at WyattEllis.com 🌹🎧 The single and visualizer are streaming everywhere. This isn’t just a song release. It’s a full-circle moment. | 45m 46s | ||||||
| 2/17/26 | ![]() What's The Reason For This Podcast - High Horse Band | 🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi and Shay welcome the chaotic, brilliant, cello-slinging string sorcerers of High Horse into the dungeon and things go from bluegrass to banjo science to Narcan policy to glizzy marketing in about 12 minutes flat. 🪕🔥😂Fresh off a high-energy Dungeon Session (yes, there was a cannon… no, they weren’t prepared), High Horse sits down to unpack how a band of Boston “massholes” with Colorado ties came together in grad school, built something wildly genre-bending, and decided to bet on themselves, no label safety net, no handbook, just vibes and unpaid labor. 📚➡️🚐➡️🎶High Horse dives into: 🎻 Why adding a strap to a cello changes everything 🪕 The lineage from Rashad Eggleston to modern percussive string chaos 🎸 Growing up around the jam-band scene in Connecticut and old-school bluegrass traditions 🏆 Winning RockyGrass competitions (yes, multiple instruments… because of course) 🎨 Designing their own posters, merch, and album art in-house 📱 The brutal reality of being your own label, booking agent, content team, and social media department 💸 Paying to tour while building an audience in new markets like Colorado 🤝 Why the merch table conversations and community moments make the grind worth itThe band also opens up about how technology has shifted the music industry giving artists more control while demanding more labor than ever before. Being in a band today means rehearsing, writing, touring, filming, editing, booking, marketing, and somehow still finding time to actually practice. 🎥📧📈And through all of it? Personality. Chaos. Humor. Deep musicianship. And a shared commitment to making music that doesn’t neatly fit a box. High Horse isn’t trying to replicate a genre they’re stitching together bluegrass roots, classical training, jam energy, and experimental textures into something that only makes sense once you see it live. ⚡🎶The episode wraps with details on their Colorado run including Chautauqua Community House (with Joy Adams & Gus Trisch), New Terrain Brewing, Society Hall in Alamosa, Cottonwood Cottage in Greeley, and Avogadro’s Number with Silas Herman. Plus: a new EP Swim Before You Fly and a live record on the way. 🚐🏔️💿At its core, this episode is about building something from scratch, embracing the chaos, and figuring out how to survive and thrive in the attention economy without losing the soul of the music.🎧 Listen now wherever you get podcasts. And if you’re in Colorado this week go see High Horse live. Trust us. | 1h 00m 57s | ||||||
| 2/12/26 | ![]() What's The Reason For This Podcast S2E23 - Torrin Daniels - Kitchen Dwellers | 🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi sits down in the dungeon with Torrin Daniels of The Kitchen Dwellers for a powerful, wide-ranging conversation that blends music, identity, politics, mental health, and what it really means to not “shut up and sing” when the moment demands more. 🪕🔥🗣️ The episode centers around Torrin’s now-viral onstage speech at the Mission Ballroom during the Kitchen Dwellers’ Colorado run. Delivering the cherry on top moment at their biggest indoor headlining show to date. What began as a gut-level response to real-time events in Minnesota quickly became a defining moment, not just for the band, but for a scene grappling with fear, division, and silence. ⚠️🎤Torrin opens up about: 🧠 Deciding earlier that day he needed to say something and being more nervous about speaking than performing 🔥 Why using the stage felt unavoidable given the political climate and recent shootings 📍 Being in Minnesota while chaos unfolded nearby and trying to create art under an “impending sense of doom” 🛑 Why “just shut up and sing” stops making sense when people around you are scared to exist ⚖️ Coming from a ranching, gun-owning background and rejecting the false binary of values vs empathy 🗣️ The responsibility artists carry when they’ve seen the country up close, coast to coast 🧩 Why this isn’t about partisanship it’s about recognizing danger when history starts repeating itselfFrom there, the conversation widens into who Torrin is beyond the speech. He talks candidly about growing up in Wyoming and Montana, his early love of drums before banjo, discovering punk, metal, reggae, and jam music, and how those influences shaped Kitchen Dwellers into the genre-blurring, “non-bluegrass bluegrass” band they are today. 🥁➡️🪕⚡ They dive deep into: 🎸 How metal, punk, and grunge techniques inform Torrin’s banjo style 🎶 Why the band records live together to preserve feel and honesty 🧑🤝🧑 Evolving as bandmates choosing unity over blame through hard seasons 🧠 Advocacy for mental health and normalizing therapy in music culture 🌱 Reaching a place where the band no longer plays “first-date shows,” but fully trusts who they are.The episode closes with a reminder that community is the antidote go to shows, buy tickets early, meet people, dance, sweat, argue, heal, and exist together. Because art only works when it’s honest, and silence only helps the wrong things grow. 🌈🤝🔥 🎧 Listen now wherever you get podcasts. This one is raw, thoughtful, challenging and a reminder that authenticity isn’t always comfortable, but it’s always necessary. | 1h 20m 03s | ||||||
| 2/3/26 | ![]() What's The Reason For This Podcast S2E22 - David Weingarden - Z2 Entertainment | 🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi and Shay welcome David Weingarden, Vice President of Z2 Entertainment, into the dungeon (virtually) for one of the most important ticketing conversations we’ve ever had — breaking down the real forces behind ticket prices, scalpers, bots, and why fans keep getting screwed. 🎟️⚠️🔥 If you’ve ever been 19,000th in a virtual queue 🧍♂️🧍♀️📉, paid triple face value for a ticket 💸😤, or accidentally bought from a fake site that looked legit, this episode explains exactly why that’s happening and who benefits from the chaos.Fresh off testifying at a U.S. Senate Commerce Committee hearing on the proposed TICKET Act, David pulls back the curtain on the ticketing ecosystem from speculative ticketing and bot armies 🤖📈 to deceptive URLs, unchecked marketplaces, and the massive lobbying power protecting the status quo. This isn’t conspiracy talk it’s documented reality. 🧾⚖️ David breaks down: 🎟️ What speculative ticketing actually is and why it should be illegal 🤖 How bots scoop tickets instantly (sometimes from overseas IPs) 🧑⚖️ Why enforcement, not just laws, is the missing piece 🏛️ What really happened when Colorado tried (and failed) to pass strong ticket reform 💰 How scalpers outspent independent venues 75 to 4 in lobbyists 📢 Why marketplaces claim “we’re just the platform” and why that excuse wouldn’t fly anywhere else 🏟️ How monopolistic control over venues, ticketing, promotion, and resale hurts fans and artists 🎸 Why independent venues are the ones taking the blame and the abuse for a broken systemThe conversation also zooms out to spotlight the human side of independent venues 🏠🎶 how places like the Fox Theatre, Boulder Theater, Aggie, Chautauqua, and 10 Mile don’t compete with billion-dollar corporations by throwing money around, but by treating artists and fans with real care. High-touch service, community trust, and long-term relationships are how they survive. 🤝❤️Kodi and Shay push hard on the fan perspective too, why artists sometimes take massive tour deals 💼, how perception becomes reality online 📱🔥, and why fans need better information before directing anger at venues and musicians who don’t control the resale market.At its core, this episode is about consumer protection, transparency, and collective action. This is a bipartisan issue 🟣🔵 that affects everyone who loves live music. The solution isn’t yelling into the void, it’s learning, organizing, and advocating together. 🌍🗣️🎧 Listen now wherever you get podcasts. 📣 Follow NIVA (National Independent Venue Association) 🎟️ Support independent venues 🛑 Demand fair ticketingBecause live music doesn’t survive without fans — and fans deserve better. 🎶✊ | 56m 57s | ||||||
| 1/27/26 | ![]() What's The Reason For This Podcast S2E21 - Mountain Grass Unit | 🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi and Shay welcome Alabama-born bluegrass firestarters Mountain Grass Unit (MGU) into the dungeon for a long-overdue hang that dives deep into friendship, hustle, growing pains, and what it really looks like when a band is mid–rocket ship. 🚀🪕🔥 What starts with laughs about canceled Colorado shows, tooth pain from hell 🦷😖, and internet rumors quickly turns into a full origin story — from childhood friendships and rival middle-school friend groups 😅 to rock bands, borrowed upright basses, and getting voluntold to play bluegrass before fully knowing what bluegrass even was. 🎸➡️🪕MGU opens up about: 👬 Growing up together in Alabama and building trust long before the band existed 🎶 Learning instruments the hard way through YouTube tutorials, borrowed gear, and first gigs days after touching an upright bass 🏫 Juggling college life across Berklee, ETSU, and Alabama while trying to keep a band alive from different states 📧 Cold-emailing venues, losing money on early tours, and why investing in yourself matters more than profit early on 🤝 Landing an agent and management and how that changed everything (without magically fixing everything) 🧠 The mental shift from “students who tour sometimes” to “this is the job now” 💿 Signing with Dualtone Records and heading into the studio with Vance Powell to record a new full-length album 🌍 What’s next: WinterWonderGrass, recording all of February, Australia dates, and a stacked 2026 touring calendarThe conversation also digs into MGU’s identity — how they balance traditional bluegrass roots with high-octane energy ⚡, crowd-moving covers, and a jam-friendly mindset that works just as well for seated traditionalists as it does for dancing Colorado crowds. 🕺🪑Kodi presses on merch stories (yes, the infamous khaki shirts 😬👕), slap-koozies, DIY marketing, and the band’s hilarious social media videos — showing how personality, humor, and authenticity can pull new fans in just as fast as blistering musicianship. 🎥😂At its core, this episode is about putting in the time and earning it on a long road from backyard jams to festival stages, the willingness to lose money to gain momentum, and the power of sticking together when things get uncomfortable, uncertain, or downright painful. 🌱🤝🎧 Tap in wherever you listen to podcasts. This is a must-listen if you love bluegrass, band origin stories, or catching artists right as things start to really take off. 🪕🔥 | 1h 01m 56s | ||||||
| 1/13/26 | ![]() What's The Reason For This Podcast S2E20 - Justin Barona - Just Tat Em | 🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi sits down in the dungeon with viral artist and musician Justin Barona (Just Tat Em) for his first-ever podcast appearance — a necessary, difficult conversation that directly addresses a real controversy and the consequences that followed. The episode centers on the backlash sparked by posts shared by Justin’s wife, which circulated widely and included harmful, inflammatory references tied to Adolf Hitler and antisemitic rhetoric. The response was swift and justified: public outrage, accusations of hate speech, canceled shows, and Justin ultimately taking his Instagram offline. This conversation does not frame the situation as a misunderstanding or a matter of nuance — it acknowledges that the content was wrong, damaging, and incompatible with the message Justin presents publicly. ⚠️🛑Justin addresses the situation directly: 🚫 Making it clear the posts do not reflect his beliefs 🗣️ Acknowledging that silence and delayed response worsened the situation 📉 Accepting that accountability comes with having a platform — even when the words aren’t yours 👨👩👧👧 Talking honestly about how the fallout affected his family, career, and mental health 📴 Explaining why he stepped away from social media and what he learned from itFrom there, Kodi intentionally widens the lens — not to excuse what happened, but to understand the person now navigating the consequences. Justin shares his life story in full: running away from an abusive home at 12, living on the streets, incarceration at a young age, and how music, drawing, and tattooing became tools for survival and connection. 🧒➡️🎨➡️🎶 The episode also explores the pressure of sudden virality 📱🔥, the grind of producing nonstop Cameos, the strain of balancing creativity with fatherhood, and how quickly a feel-good internet narrative can unravel when personal lives intersect with public platforms. Justin speaks candidly about missteps, ego, burnout, and the need to draw firmer lines between his values and the content associated with him. At its core, this episode is about accountability without deflection. It doesn’t ask listeners to forget what happened — it asks them to understand how it happened, what was wrong about it, and what moving forward with clarity and responsibility actually looks like. 🔍⚖️🎧 Listen now wherever you get podcasts. This is a heavy, honest conversation — and one that doesn’t shy away from the reality that words, associations, and silence all have consequences. | 1h 19m 45s | ||||||
| 1/7/26 | ![]() What's The Reason For This Podcast S2E19 - Tom Hamilton Jr. - I'm Your Vampire | 🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi and Shay sit down with guitarist and songwriter Tom Hamilton Jr. to dive deep into his first-ever solo album under his own name, I’m Your Vampire 🩸🖤 — out January 23. This episode is all about the songs, the process, and the moment that pushed Tom to finally make this record. 🎸✨After decades of collaboration across genre-defining projects, Tom opens up about why this album had to happen now. Written during a period of massive personal change — the end of Ghost Light, his father’s illness, and choosing not to outrun grief by staying on the road — I’m Your Vampire was created by sitting still, turning inward, and letting honesty lead the way. 🖤🧠Tom breaks down: 📝 Writing songs as a way to process uncertainty, loss, and identity 🎧 Why this record needed to exist outside of any band name — no safety net, just truth 🎛️ Building the album with longtime collaborator Pete Tremont and locking in perspective with producer Alex Farrar (Asheville sessions = magic ✨) 💿 How 40+ songs became a tightly intentional tracklist 🎸 Balancing raw emotion with restraint, tone, and texture 🩸 Letting listeners bring their own meaning to the songs — without overexplaining the artThey also talk about how the album’s sound pulls from multiple worlds — hints of grunge, Americana, indie rock, and the melodic sensibility Tom is known for — while still standing firmly on songwriting first. Every choice, from sequencing to production, is rooted in intention and authenticity. 🔥🎶This episode is a rare look at what it means to start over creatively, even after years of success — and why making the record you need to make matters more than comfort or momentum. 🌱⚡🎧 Listen now wherever you get podcasts 📲 Pre-save I’m Your Vampire 🎟️ Catch Tom Hamilton Jr. on tour in 2026#WhatsTheReasonForThis #TomHamiltonJr #ImYourVampire | 52m 45s | ||||||
| 12/30/25 | ![]() What's The Reason For This Podcast S2E18 - Tonewood String Band | 🎧 This episode of What’s the Reason for This? Kodi and Shay drop back into the dungeon with Tonewood String Band for a no-holds-barred, laugh-heavy, deeply honest conversation about what it really takes to make a debut full-length album — from crowdfunding stress 😅💸 to studio self-doubt 🧠😵💫 to finally holding the finished record in your hands 💿🙌. Fresh off the release of Heart of the Pretender, the band reflects on a nearly two-year journey 🗓️🔥 that began with a Kickstarter, rolled through 60 hours in the studio ⏱️🎛️, and ended with a record they’re genuinely proud of — scars, growth, and all 💛🌱. The conversation pulls the curtain back on the realities of modern bluegrass bands trying to level up without losing themselves in the process. 🪕⚡ The band digs into: 🎶 Why they chose to crowdfund — and how much work actually goes into a Kickstarter 💪💵 🎛️ Recording at Swingfingers Studio with Aaron Youngberg — and why working with someone who speaks bluegrass makes all the difference 🎻🎚️ ⏱️ Tracking live in isolation with click tracks, layered takes, and producer Tyler Grant steering the ship 🚦🎧 🧠 The mental battle of studio perfectionism — self-doubt, breakthroughs, and learning when to trust the take 😤➡️😌 💿 How songs evolved in unexpected ways once recorded — including tracks that nearly didn’t make the album 😳✨ 📈 Why pre-saves, singles, playlists, and algorithms matter more than fans realize 🤖📲 — and how the “waterfall release” strategy actually works 🎤 The wild contrast between sold-out theaters 🎟️🔥 and nearly empty bar gigs 🍺😅 — and how the band stays grounded through bothThe episode also shines a spotlight on the unsung hero behind Tonewood’s visual world 🌈🖌️: Silver — the band’s manager, merch wizard, and resident artist. She shares how the album artwork was inspired by the title track, Bob Dylan’s “Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts” ♠️❤️, and grew into a full playing-card theme across singles, posters, and merch — all screen-printed by hand 🖐️👕. They also revisit the band’s Kickstarter cover-song rewards 🎁🎶, where fans funded the record by commissioning custom bluegrass versions of everything from Gordon Lightfoot 🌄 to Sly & The Family Stone 🕺💃 — essentially creating a second album while finishing the first. Absolute chaos. Absolute magic. ✨🪕At its core, this episode is about commitment, community, and creative honesty 🌾🤝 — learning when to push harder 🚀, when to let go 🕊️, and how much independent music depends on fans showing up, buying merch 🛍️, pre-saving records 💾, and spreading the word 📢❤️.🎧 Tune in for the laughs 😂, stay for the real talk 🎙️, and remember: support the bands in the trenches — that’s where the magic lives. ✨🪕 | 59m 14s | ||||||
| 12/19/25 | ![]() What's The Reason For This Podcast S2E17 - Jingle Jam | 🎧 This episode of What’s the Reason for This? is a little different — and a whole lot festive. Kodi and Shay coming to you from the dungeon to discuss a recent session from the newly christened Dungeon West to break down everything you need to know about the 4th Annual Jingle Jam, one of Colorado’s most beloved end-of-year bluegrass traditions. 🎄🪕✨After some legendary technical difficulties (including a lost-but-not-forgotten all-time-great interview), the hosts regroup to make sure the mission stays front and center: raising money, celebrating community, and getting everyone to this show before it sells out. 🎟️🔥The episode dives into what makes Jingle Jam so special — a scene-wide Christmas party packed with 40–50 musicians, zero repeat sets, deep-cut holiday songs, and nonstop collaborations. Taking place Saturday, December 20th at Roots Music Project in Boulder, the event brings together members of bands like Stillhouse Junkies, Deer Creek Sharpshooters, Mighty Holler, Jake Legg, Tonewood, Liver Down the River, and many more, with special guest appearances from Pete Wernick (Hot Rize) and other scene favorites. 🎶🤝Most importantly, 100% of ticket sales benefit Sister Carmen, a Boulder County nonprofit providing food, resources, and dignity to families and individuals in need. Last year alone, Jingle Jam raised over $8,000, and this year aims to do even more. 💛💪Kodi and Shay also highlight the fun chaos that defines the night — from audience-thrown “snowballs” (yes, pom-poms) ❄️😂 to outrageous holiday outfits, surprise sit-ins, and the reminder to support the venue by buying drinks and tipping bartenders. The episode closes by encouraging listeners to not only attend this year, but to get involved next year through volunteering, donating, or helping expand the event’s impact. 🌈🙌🎧 Stick around to the end of the episode for a Jingle Jam Session featuring three holiday songs that will absolutely put you in the spirit. This one is about music, generosity, and showing up for your community — exactly what the season is supposed to be about. 🎄💛 | 30m 50s | ||||||
| 12/16/25 | ![]() What's The Reason For This Podcast S2E16 - Scotty Stoughton - Bonfire Entertainment | 🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi and Shay sit down in the dungeon with one of the most influential architects of Colorado’s music culture — Scotty Stoughton of Bonfire Entertainment. 🌲🔥 The man behind WinterWonderGrass, Baja WonderGrass, Small Town for the Cause, river trips, and some of the most meaningful gatherings in modern roots music joins us for a deep, inspiring, wide-ranging conversation. whats-the-reason-for-thiss-stud…What starts as classic dungeon energy quickly turns into a masterclass on vision, community, risk-taking, and following your heart — from grilled-cheese-slinging Deadhead kid to festival builder, river guide, and global connector. 🌎💛Scotty opens up about: 🎶 Growing up on Dead Tour → hand drums → freestyling → sharing stages with Les Claypool, Sam Bush, and Mark Vann 🔥 Touring in the wild 90s and realizing kindness + intention can change an entire show’s energy 🏔️ Founding events like WinterWonderGrass, Snowball, and Camp Out for the Cause — and how each taught him to build culture, not just festivals 🧡 Why empathy, respect, and human connection are non-negotiable in his company ethos 🛠️ The REAL work: town councils, decibel limits, zip-tie battles, waste cleanup, pushback, and learning to stay grounded through it 🎤 Supporting emerging artists — and why some of your favorite bands got their first big moment on his side stages 🌊 Paddleboarding the Grand Canyon, discovering “river time,” and how the River WonderGrass trips became spiritual medicine during COVID 🇲🇽 How falling in love with Baja, its culture, and its healing environment led to Baja WonderGrass — not a resort event, but a community-rooted adventure 💚 Travel, discomfort, purpose, legacy, and why he believes we were never meant to be cogs in a machineAt its core, this episode is about building spaces where people feel good — whether it’s 5,000 people in Steamboat, 500 on a beach in Baja, or 25 in a canyon sharing music at sunrise. It’s about showing up with heart, lifting up the folks coming behind you, and remembering that community is the whole point. 🌈🤝🎧 Tap in now wherever you listen to podcasts. It’s inspiring, grounding, hilarious, and a reminder that the magic of this scene is something we all build together. 🫶✨#WhatsTheReasonForThis #BonfireEntertainment #WinterWonderGrass | 59m 42s | ||||||
| 12/9/25 | ![]() What's The Reason For This Podcast S2E15 - Deer Creek Sharp Shooters | 🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi and co-host Shay hang in the dungeon with the absolute rip-roaring bluegrass crew Deer Creek Sharpshooters — fresh off their basement session and rolling deep into Colorado’s picking scene. 🪕🔥What starts as classic dungeon chaos quickly turns into a real-deal origin story: how a group of lifelong friends from the Mid-Atlantic turned a post-high-school bluegrass obsession into a no-guitar, all-gas band that’s now carving out a name in the Front Range circuit. 🏔️🎶The Sharpshooters open up about: 🏡 Growing up together back East (Maryland/Virginia/Philly energy) and catching the bluegrass bug AFTER high school — proof it’s never too late to start pickin’ 🎧 Their gateway bands: Trampled by Turtles, Old Crow, Yonder, Jeff Austin vibes — the stuff that lit the fuse 🌴 The Charleston era where it clicked: “we can actually be a band that plays venues” 🪕 Instrument origin chaos: mandolin “dibs,” banjo arm-wrestle decisions, dobro awakenings, and upright bass leap-of-faith madness 🎻 How Kay joined after an Irish-music background + moving to CO — and jumped into bluegrass headfirst 🎼 Their writing process: someone brings 80% of a song, the band builds the rest, arranging parts + solos together 📲 The grind of being artists and content creators — splitting up band “business roles” (booking, merch, marketing, accounting) so they can keep making music 💿 What’s next: building funding for a new album, plus a plan to start dropping live recordings that capture who they really are 🎪 Upcoming moves: Dec 19, 2025 at Globe Hall with Mighty Holler + Foggy Memory Boys, opening for Magoo at Bluebird in April, and festival runs like WinterWonderGrass, Palisade Bluegrass Bash, and moreAt its core, this episode is about community + commitment — the late-night festival picks, the fans who show up early for the “small names,” the merch tables that keep bands alive, and the kind of friendship that lets a group keep evolving without losing the spark. 🌈🤝🎧 Tap in now wherever you listen to podcasts. It’s loud, hilarious, heartfelt, and a reminder that bluegrass is a family sport. 🪕💛#WhatsTheReasonForThis #DeerCreekSharpshooters #Bluegrass | 48m 17s | ||||||
| 12/4/25 | ![]() What's The Reason For This Podcast - Alana Rocklin - Sound Tribe Sector 9 (STS9) | 🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi heads back into the dungeon with guest co-host Dave and very special guest Alana Rocklin — bassist of Sound Tribe Sector Nine (STS9) — for a deep-dive into the band’s first studio record in nearly a decade, Human Dream, and the wild full-circle journey that took Alana from fan to family. 🎶✨From opening STS9’s first-ever Chicago show in 2001 🤯 to joining the band full-time in 2014, this conversation travels through origin stories, jazz discipline, improvisation philosophy, studio wizardry, touring realities in 2025, and why supporting live music matters now more than ever. Expect nerdy gear talk, big feelings, and a whole lot of love for the scene. 🙌❤️🎸 Meeting STS9 in 2001 when her band (then “All Rectangle”) opened for them, the instant connection, and becoming the first non-STS9 artist released on 1320 Records.🚐 Touring the old-school way — six-week runs in a car/van during the MapQuest era — forging friendships that eventually led her deeper into the STS9 orbit.🎓 Her jazz + improvisation foundation at the University of Michigan, how mentor Rodney Whitaker drilled the “2 & 4 metronome” method into her practice, and how it shaped her internal clock as the band’s rhythmic backbone.💿 Cross-genre session work, including recording bass for major hip-hop records (like Rick Ross’ Maybach Music 4) from her Nashville studio with charts, producer notes, and precision.🌈 Joining STS9 after Murph’s departure — the weight of stepping into a legacy, the six-week cram where she learned the top 50 tunes, and building confidence through festival sets before the massive Red Rocks initiation.🧪 How STS9 writes in real time — debuting songs live (sometimes learned minutes before stage time), letting crowds shape the music, then refining the ideas in the studio.💫 Why Human Dream became 19 tracks — a double-album born from COVID delays, evolving ideas, and a refusal to rush the creative process.🎶 Favorite Human Dream stories including: • Strange Games — reinvented after a sample didn’t clear, showing how limitations spark better art. • Big Basin — tied to the wildfire that destroyed her home, making the studio version deeply personal. • It’s All Right / Lives of Symphony & Unity — a live mutation turned studio favorite with vocals from longtime friend Maureen Murphy.🎤 The legendary 2016 choir shows (Alpharetta + Red Rocks) with huge covers like “Under Pressure” and “Get Lucky,” and why STS9 uses covers sparingly so they land as true events.🤝 A near-collab with Billy Strings, derailed by a hurricane but still destined to happen — proof of the joy in genre-crossing without rules.📣 Why studio albums matter even with endless live recordings: they’re a clean entry point for new fans and a definitive snapshot of who the band is right now.This episode is a wide-angle look at what it means to step inside a legacy — honoring the past, trusting the process, and fighting for the future of live music with your whole heart. 🌀🔥🎧 Stream now wherever you get your podcasts — and turn up Human Dream loud. Sometimes the reason is simple: keep showing up for the music and each other. 💛 | 1h 03m 47s | ||||||
| 11/25/25 | ![]() What's The Reason For This Podcast S2E13 - Drunken Hearts | 🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi drops back into the dungeon with Colorado’s roots-rock homies Drunken Hearts — fresh off a live basement session and riding a big wave into their next chapter. 🎶🍻From mountain-town beginnings in Vail 🏔️ to surviving lineup shifts, loss, and the post-COVID rebuild 💥, this convo gets real about how a band keeps becoming itself over and over again. There are laughs, some heavy heart, and a whole lot of love for the road and the songs that carry it. 🙌❤️Drunken Hearts opens up about: 🎸 How the band started 15 years ago as a ski-town trio — and why the early days felt like a “powder keg” of southern rock energy 🕊️ Honoring founding drummer Ted Wells, whose passing in 2014 changed everything — and how his spirit still threads through the music 🎹 The wild, last-minute story of Tyler joining on keys in 2020 and instantly becoming essential to their sound 🎶 Writing songs in phone notes while driving, letting inspiration hit when it hits 🚗📱 🤝 Collaborating with Nashville hit-maker Dave Pahanish — including the surprise gift of a new unrecorded song, “Sacred Ground” 🔥 Their brand-new single “The Other Side” (feat. Bonnie Sims of Big Richard), recorded on the 10-year anniversary of Ted’s passing — a full-circle moment that still gives chills 🎪 What’s next: a stacked Denver show Dec 6 at Cervantes’ Other Side with Tyler Grant’s Electric Farm + Jake Legg, plus more CO winter dates 💿 The 2026 mission: record a new album, go bigger, go deeper, and keep building this thing the right wayThis episode is all about growth without forgetting the roots — the grief, the grit, the road miles, and the kind of brotherhood that keeps a band swinging through every season. 🌾⚡🎧 Stream it now wherever you listen to podcasts! Real talk, road stories, new music, and a reminder that sometimes the reason is just… don’t stop playing. 💛#WhatsTheReasonForThis #DrunkenHearts #ColoradoMusic #RootsRock #Americana #JamScene #NewSingle #TheOtherSide #Cervantes #DenverMusic #IndependentMusic #Songwriting #BandLife #HomiesHelpingHomies #MusicPodcast #BasementSessions #GoodVibesOnly | 49m 01s | ||||||
| 11/14/25 | ![]() What's The Reason For This Podcast S2E12 - Clint Dodson - All Jammed Up | 🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi sits down with the man behind one of the hottest podcasts in the jam scene — Clint Dodson of All Jammed Up! 🎶🔥From Billy Strings runs and Hulaween chaos 🎸🌀 to media passes, imposter syndrome, and the art of staying authentic,this convo dives deep into the grind, the growth, and the gratitude behind building something real. 🙌Clint opens up about: 🎙️ Turning a passion for live music into a full-blown podcast movement ☕ Editing episodes at Starbucks between shows (dedication level: MAX) 🎪 The friendships and community that make the jam scene magic 🍺 Brewing his own All Jammed Up Beer with One World Brewing in Asheville 💫 And finding balance, purpose, and love alongside his partner-in-crime, Chloe 💖This episode is all about chasing the dream without losing the why — the laughs, the burnout, the breakthroughs, and the moments that make it all worth it.🎧 Stream it now wherever you listen to podcasts! It’s real talk, good vibes, and a reminder that we’re all just out here trying to find our reason. 🌈✨#WhatsTheReasonForThis #AllJammedUp #ClintDodson #PodcastLife #JamScene #BillyStrings #Hulaween #AshevilleMusic #LeftoverSalmon #Bluegrass #JamGrass #MusicPodcast #HomiesHelpingHomies #Authenticity #GoodVibesOnly | 1h 04m 31s | ||||||
| 11/7/25 | ![]() What's The Reason For This Podcast S2E11 - Andy Thorn - Leftover Salmon | 🎙️ This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi and Shay sit down with one of the most beloved pickers in the jamgrass world — Andy Thorn of Leftover Salmon! 🎶You might know him as the banjo-slinging wizard who went viral for serenading a fox 🦊 outside his home in the Colorado hills… but there’s so much more to Andy’s story than that one magical moment.From his bluegrass roots in North Carolina 🎻 to earning a degree in jazz guitar 🎸 (because, yep — there wasn’t a banjo program back then), Andy’s path to becoming one of the most respected players in modern bluegrass is a story of grit, heart, and pure love of the music.He talks about: 🌄 What drew him out west to Colorado — and how the mountain scene and community completely changed his life. 🎸 The wild journey from playing small college jams to joining Leftover Salmon, one of the most iconic jamgrass bands ever. 🥁 What it’s like to go from bluegrass purity to plugged-in, full-band chaos with drums, keys, and amps turned to 11. 🦊 The day a curious fox wandered up mid-banjo session — and how that viral video became a global feel-good story during COVID. 👶 Being a full-time dad AND full-time touring musician (spoiler: no naps, lots of caffeine ☕). 🎧 Recording his latest solo album at home, surrounded by instruments, baby toys, and sunrise views — featuring friends like Tyler Grant, Greg Garrison, and Eric Deutsch of The Black Crowes. 🎶 Why “music should be fun” — and how bluegrass still feels like a tight-knit family of friends who just want to jam and lift each other up.The guys also dig into the evolution of Leftover Salmon, the Colorado bluegrass scene, and how the next generation — bands like The Fretliners, Arkansauce, and Tonewood String Band — are keeping the fire alive 🔥.Andy reflects on teaching at RockyGrass Academy, passing along his skills to the next wave of pickers, and what it means to see bluegrass finally becoming “cool” again with younger fans. 🙌It’s one of the most genuine, funny, and inspiring convos we’ve had yet — packed with stories from the road, dad-life humor, and a reminder that no matter how big the stage gets, it’s all about the music, the people, and the pick. 💙🎧 Stream “The Andy Thorn Episode” now on What’s the Reason for This? — available wherever you get your podcasts.👉 Hit play, laugh a little, and maybe even go pick up that old instrument again. Because as Andy says: “Music should be fun — that’s the whole point.” 🎵✨#WhatsTheReasonForThis #Podcast #AndyThorn #LeftoverSalmon #JamGrass #Bluegrass #ColoradoMusic #BillyStrings #Banjo #MusicPodcast #MusicianLife #PodcastCommunity #MusicLovers #FoxGuy #BanjoLife #BluegrassFamily #WTRFT | 54m 04s | ||||||
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Chart Positions
2 placements across 2 markets.
Chart Positions
2 placements across 2 markets.

























