Hello friends! Guitar player, YouTuber, and all-around great guy, Ray Kainz returns to the show for episode 1573! You might know Ray from playing in bands like Brodie Lane, Love & Chaos and others or from his instructional, informative, and highly entertaining YouTube Channel, "Ray Plays Guitar" that has great guitar lessons, song tutorials, gear reviews and more. Go to rayplaysguitar.com for links, lessons, merch, membership, and more. Ray and I have a great conversation about why and how he started his YouTube channel, the challenges of finding his audience, dealing with copyright violations, what keeps him excited about playing guitar, getting clean and healthy and becoming a dad, his favorite Austin guitar players, and more. I had a great time catching up with Ray. I'm sure you will too. Let's get down!

Find Ray on Instagram, Facebook, raykainz.com

Hello friends! The one and only William Harries Graham returns to the show for episode 1572! Like most of Austin, I've watched William grow up to become an amazing music artist, wonderful man. And like most of Austin, I have been grieving the loss of his dad, Jon Dee Graham as an inspirational artist and friend after his passing in March. While caring for his dad after his second spine surgery, William wrote and recorded his new EP, the gorgeous and (mostly) upbeat, "Belrose Motel" out this Friday, June 5th on Strolling Bones Records. We have a long and deep conversation about losing his dad, dealing with his own grief and the whole community's grief, keeping his dad's music and memory alive, writing and recording "Belrose Motel" at home, how his passion for architecture informs his music, producing Jon Dee's last album, New Order, and much more. I was honored to sit and have this conversation with my old friend, William. He is a truly talented and special soul. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

Find William on Spotify, Facebook, Instagram

Hello friends! Nashville based singer-songwriter Ben Chapman is my guest for episode 1571! Ben has done his share of writing with and for other folks like Marcus King, Hayes Carll, Shelby Lynne, and more. He just released his latest album Feet On Fire about his journey into manhood following his marriage to fellow singer/songwriter Meg McRee and the birth of their first child in September. Go to benchapmanmusic.com for music, tour dates and more. We have a great conversation about growing up in Lafayette, making the move to Nashville, making Feet On Fire with producer Anderson East, how fatherhood has changed him, co-writing in Nashville, Ben Chapman's Peach Jam, songwriting, touring, and more. I had a great time getting to know Ben. I'm sure you will too. Let's get down!

Find Ben Chapman on Spotify, Instagram, Facebook

Hello friends! Matt Salois and Alyssa Kelly from Austin indie folk-pop duo Deer Fellow return to the show for episode 1570! Their new album Hues drops this Friday, May 29th and they're celebrating with a record release show this Saturday, May 30th at the Hole in the Wall in Austin. Go to deerfellow.com for music, videos, show dates and more. We have a great conversation about getting married last November and spending their honeymoon in New Zealand, recording and producing Hues in their home studio, their amazing videos, being bird nerds, annoying aspects of social media, money gigs vs. showcase gigs, songwriting, working as a duo, and much more. I had a great time catching up with Alyssa and Matt. I'm sure you will too. Let's get down!

Find Deer Fellow on Spotify, Instagram, Facebook

Hello friends! Don Barnes, singer, songwriter, guitar player, and co-founder of 38 Special is my guest for episode 1569! 38 Special is currently on their 50 Year Legacy Tour, celebrating half a century of the band. They've also released their first album of new music in 20 years, Milestone, available on all streaming services, CD and vinyl. Go to 38special.com for, show dates, music, videos, and more. Don and I have a great conversation about 50 years of 38 Special with over 20 million records sold, the legacy of their classics like "Hold On Loosely", "Caught Up In You" and so many more, making Milestone with long-time collaborator Jim Peternik (Survivor), collaborating with Pat Monahan (Train), Randy Bachman (The Guess Who, BTO), and his wife, Christine on Milestone, bringing people joy through the music of their youth, finding love when you least expect it, songwriting, touring, and much more. I had a great time getting to know Don. I'm sure you will too. Let's get down!

Find 38 Special on Instagram, Facebook

Hello friends! Texas-to-Nashville singer-songwriters Grace Pettis, Natalie Price, and Rachel Laven, known together as THE TEXPATS are my guests for episode 1568! Their new video "Oh Sister" is now available on YouTube and they're heading out on their debut tour this week. They'll be stopping in Austin next Wednesday, May 27th at The 04 Center. Go to thetexpats.com for tour dates, videos and more. We have a great conversation about why they all moved from Texas to Nashville, how they ended up roommates, what it's like living together, their first tour, what they're each up to in their own careers, the magic of a Lord of the Rings themed birthday party, the porch, and much more. I had a great time catching up with these talented and hilarious women. I'm sure you will too. Let's get down!

Find the TEXPATS on Instagram

Find Natalie Price HERE

Find Rachel Laven HERE

Find Grace Pettis HERE

Hello friends! Artists and founders of non-alcohol tequila Society Del Sol, Gary and Kaysie Dorsey are my guests for episode 1567! As visual artists they have built up a resume that includes the Waterloo Sparkling Water and Deep Eddy Vodka branding, album covers for Joe Jackson, Christopher Cross, Suzanna Choffel and many more. See their past artwork HERE. After getting sober, they decided to start their own non-alcoholic spirit company Society Del Sol which becomes available to the public this summer. Go to societydelsol.com for more info. We have a great conversation about their journeys and accomplishments as artists, coming with the idea of Society Del Sol, getting sober, their faith, raising children, losing friends over politics, A.I. and the future of art, enjoying life, and much more. I had a great time getting to know Gary and Kaysie. I'm sure you will too. Let's get down!

Find Society Del Sol on Instagram and Facebook

Find Gary's artwork at houseofdorsey.com

Welcome to another episode of How Did I Get Here? From The Vault! Today, we go back to episode 1386 on May 10, 2024 with singer, songwriter, guitar player, and co-founder of Wang Chung, Jack Hues. We talk about the history of Wang Chung, their classic albums and more. Wang Chung is hitting the road this summer as part of the Things Can Only Get Better North American Tour, headlined by fellow British 80s icon Howard Jones. Joining them are The English Beat and Modern English. Find out if they're coming to a town near you at wangchung.com. Below are my original notes from the show.

Hello friends! Singer, songwriter, guitar player, and co-founder of Wang Chung, Jack Hues is my guest for episode 1386! Go to wangchung.com for all of your Wang Chung needs. Jack and I have a great conversation about the Abducted By The 80's Tour, their orchestral album ORCHESOGRAPHY recorded in Prague in the Czech Republic featuring rchestral versions of the hits and other lesser known Wang Chung songs, a new greatest hits and rarities collection Clear Light Dark Matter (out in Sept.), the history of Wang Chung, scoring the William Friedkin movie "To Live and Die in L.A.", the cultural impact of "Everybody Have Fun Tonight", keeping Wang Chung going with co-founder Nick Feldman for over 40 years, guitar sounds, his incredible solo music (listen HERE) and his jazz group, Jack Hues & The Quartet (listen HERE), staying inspired, the music business, and much more! I had a great time getting to know Jack. I'm sure you will too. Let's get down!