“You've just seen...the heart-stopping, house-rocking, earth-quaking, booty-shaking, testifying, death-defying, legendary E…Street…Band!”

If you’ve ever attended one of their live shows, you would’ve heard some version of this declaration from Bruce and by the end you’d probably agree whole-heartedly. David Burghardt certainly did after his first concert, and 40 years later he’s still going back for more.

Like many fans, he cites their music—and one album in particular—as a lifeline in an especially trying time and a reminder to find joy even when life isn’t easy. Find out what lyrics he wrote in everyone’s high school yearbook, which foundational song Bruce refers to as “an invitation” (and how I happily discovered it about 30 years late), plus his admiration for Bruce's open discussion of his mental health struggles even as he consistently writes music that uplifts others.

David’s Personal Soundtrack:

• Thunder Road (from Born to Run album, 1975)
• Born to Run (from Born to Run album, 1975)
• Racing in the Street (from Darkness on the Edge of Town album, 1978)
• Tougher Than the Rest (from Tunnel of Love album, 1987)
• Jesus Was an Only Son (from Devils & Dust album, 1995)
• Rockaway the Days (from Tracks box set, 1998)
• Car Wash (from Tracks box set, 1998)
• The Rising (from The Rising album, 2002)
• My City of Ruins (from The Rising album, 2002)
• Land of Hope and Dreams (from Wrecking Ball album, 2012)

References:

• VH1 Storytellers - Bruce Springsteen
• The Seeger Sessions

Bruce Springsteen Official Website

Episode Music Credits:

• Intro: Great Great Lengths from Blue Dot Sessions
• Outro: Lamplist from Blue Dot Sessions

What do folk songs of the Balkans, traditional Irish music and a Metallica concert all have in common? Musician Briget Boyle can tell you. She understands and appreciates the importance of musical connections between people and how shared experiences create a culture of song. Through this lens, she has explored an incredible breadth of influences that she draws from in her solo work and expresses directly in her collaborations True Life Trio and Kitka Women’s Vocal Ensemble.

On a musical journey from the start, she began writing songs at the age of 12 and received an invaluable education from her parents who were both music industry professionals. Briget has long felt the call to songwriting and to use her powerful and beautiful voice to express truth through music. Briget’s album Heartbreak Residue is out April 2023.

Connect with Briget & Find Her Music:

• Website Briget Boyle
• Website True Life Trio
• Website Kitka Women’s Vocal Ensemble
• Facebook @brigetboylemusic
• Instagram @brigetsongs
• Website Waxsimilie Productions

Briget’s Early Musical Influences:

• Ani DiFranco
• Alanis Morissette
• Sarah McLachlan

Briget's Personal Soundtrack:

• Blue Is the Eye by Ye Vagabonds (from Nine Waves album, 2022)
• Madison Cunningham
• Brass music from Northern Greece & Southern Macedonia
• Choral music from Bulgaria & Southern Albania

References:

• Video Salty Tears by Briget Boyle (from The Next Line album, 2018)
• Movie Alive Inside: A Story of Music & Memory
• Songwriting Challenge FAWM (February Album Writing Month)

Episode Music Credits:

• Intro: Great Great Lengths from Blue Dot Sessions
• Outro: Lamplist from Blue Dot Sessions
• Clip from Crimes & Misdemeanors by Briget Boyle

In discussing her feelings on the music of folk rock icons Indigo Girls, podcast host and jam-maker extraordinaire Amy Fagan discovers a recurring descriptor: healing. She explains why Amy & Emily continue to be beloved by their die-hard fans for both their professional and personal contributions.

Connect with Amy:

• Podcast Grounded in Maine
• Facebook Grounded in Maine Podcast Group
• Instagram @groundedinmainepodcast
• Website Amy's Garden Jam

Amy's Personal Soundtrack:

• You Left It Up to Me (from Strange Fire album, 1987)
• Fugitive (from Swamp Ophelia album, 1994)
• Midnight Train to Georgia cover (from 1200 Curfews album, 1995)
• Get Out the Map (from Shaming of the Sun album, 1997)
• Shame On You (from Shaming of the Sun album, 1997)
• Go (from Come On Now Social album, 1999)

Indigo Girls Official Website

Indigo Girls Tumblr Blog "A Year A Month"

Episode Music Credits:

• Intro: Great Great Lengths from Blue Dot Sessions
• Outro: Lamplist from Blue Dot Sessions

University professor Katy Head has often joked that she could teach a course on Taylor Swift, and here she’s off to an excellent start. Katy outlines the arguments for appreciating Taylor as an artist, business woman and storyteller. She also provides insight into the “Swiftie” fan community and the strong connection Taylor has with her fans...including bringing them to her house for food and listening parties. Class is in session!

Katy's Personal Soundtrack:

• Picture to Burn (from self-titled debut album, 2006)
• You Belong With Me (from Fearless album, original 2008; re-recorded Taylor’s Version, 2021)
• Mean (from Speak Now album, 2010)
• All Too Well (from Red album, original 2012; re-recorded Taylor’s Version, 2021)
• Begin Again (from Red album, original 2012; re-recorded Taylor’s Version, 2021)
• Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince (from Lover album, 2019)
• Invisible String (from Folklore album, 2020)

Taylor Swift Official Website

Episode Music Credits:

• Intro: Great Great Lengths from Blue Dot Sessions
• Outro: Lamplist from Blue Dot Sessions

After seeing Willie Nelson live (again) a few nights ago, he has inspired me to say a little bit about why he is always worth waiting for.

A prime example.

Willie Nelson Official Website

Episode Music Credit: Horizon Liner from Blue Dot Sessions

Musician Maya Rogers is a woman of many talents: singer, songwriter, composer, guitar and flute player, music therapist, teacher and most recently, children's book author. Her career pathway has been anything but straight and she has overcome setbacks that would've thrown most people permanently off course. Maya discusses these challenges, imagines a highly creative lineup for a fictitious concert and performs a new song she's working on called "Bring Forth the Light."

Connect with Maya:

• Website Maya Rogers Music
• Instagram @mayarogers.music

Find Maya's Music:

• Buy on Bandcamp
• Stream on Apple Music, Spotify or wherever you like to stream music

Maya's Favorite Artists:

• Björk
• Roberta Flack
• Laura Mvula
• Sting

Episode Music Credits:

• Intro: Great Great Lengths from Blue Dot Sessions
• Outro: Lamplist from Blue Dot Sessions

Elli Orovio has enjoyed experiences that any music fan would envy: attending 49 live shows to date, staying in the same hotels as the band and having not one, not two, but three chance meetings with musicians she loves. Pearl Jam have been such a part of her life for the past 30 years that she even named one of her children using the initials of lead singer, Eddie Vedder. Elli recounts all this and more...making you wish you had been wearing those overalls, getting coffee in the Philadelphia Starbucks and riding in that hotel elevator.

Elli’s Personal Soundtrack:

• Alive (from the Ten album, 1991)
• Release (from the Ten album, 1991)
• Indifference (from the Vs. album, 1993)
• Red Mosquito (from the No Code album, 1996)
• Wishlist (from the Yield album, 1998)

Pearl Jam Official Website

Episode Music Credits:

• Intro: Great Great Lengths from Blue Dot Sessions
• Outro: Lamplist from Blue Dot Sessions