Authentic Sounds from the Shoals: A Chat with Craig Alvin

A Tattoo She Can't Remember Changed Her Life: A Chat with Caitlynne Curtis

Caitlynne Curtis on ‘You Need Jesus’: Sobriety, Songwriting, Jonah’s Freestyle & the Pressure of Being the Life of the PartyHost Jason English welcomes Nashville artist Caitlynne Curtis to Curious Goldfish to discuss her new album You Need Jesus, her shift away from relying on TikTok for promotion, and plans for a May acoustic headlining tour selling physical CDs. Curtis explains the album’s mix of country and gospel elements, highlights tracks like “Devil You Made,” “Amen,” and “Life of the Party,” and shares how alcohol once helped her cope with attention until a Halloween 2024 blackout became a rock-bottom moment that led to sobriety, church, and reading the Bible. She also describes collaborating with Struggle Jennings, lessons from The X Factor about constant practice and growth, parallels between car sales and promoting music, and her son Jonah’s one-take freestyle feature on “Survivor,” emphasizing confidence and future goals.00:00 Party Persona Trap00:46 Podcast Welcome01:52 Meet Caitlynne Curtis03:25 Album Release Check In04:57 Promotion And TikTok06:18 Jonah And Viral Growth07:51 Tour Plans And CDs09:12 Acoustic Tour Origins10:57 Meaning Of You Need Jesus12:33 Halloween Rock Bottom14:09 Sobriety And Fan Connection16:29 Jonah On Survivor17:24 Freestyle Becomes a Song18:16 Parenting Jonah With Confidence20:41 X Factor Resilience Lessons23:52 Sales Skills and Self Belief25:05 Artist Mindset Today25:59 Life of the Party Meaning28:01 Amen and Second Chances28:58 You Need Jesus and Dating30:34 Curiosity Goals and Future32:50 Advice to Younger Self33:50 Closing Thanks and Farewell

Seventy is the New Forty for Dan Navarro

Dan Navarro on Saying Yes: Writing Pat Benatar’s “We Belong,” Voiceover Breakthroughs & Staying Curious at 72 Songwriter and voice actor Dan Navarro joins host Jason English at the 30A Songwriters Festival to discuss his “say yes” philosophy and how it shaped his 40+ year career. Navarro recounts nearly refusing to write “We Belong” during a feud with Eric Lowen, then co-writing it in 90 minutes before it became a long-running Pat Benatar hit that now drives most of his catalog income. He explains how saying yes to a small jingle session launched decades of union voice and singing work, including Family Guy and films like Coco, Encanto, and Puss ’n Boots, and why touring remains the income he can control. Navarro reflects on positivity, relationships behind songs on Horizon Line, plans for a Spanish-language album, concerns about streaming economics, and his curiosity about what’s next. 00:00  Say Yes Turning Point 00:48 Podcast Intro Dan Navarro 02:34 30A Festival Vibes 03:39 Touring Life After COVID 04:28 Friends In The Round 05:52 We Belong Bar Story06:57 Feud To Hit Song 10:24 Royalties Mailbox Money 12:40 Touring As Control 13:37 Worst Career Decisions 14:34 Advice Just Say Yes 15:05 Voiceover Breakthrough 16:13 Say Yes Voiceover Hustle 16:40 Anonymity Versus Fame 17:35 Soundalikes And Movie Rooms 18:18 Staying Positive In Your 70s 20:11 Horizon Line Breakup Songs 22:20 She Dreams In Music CoWrite 23:42 Spanish Album Next 24:40 50 Years In The Game 25:51 Streaming Royalties Reality 27:44 Curiosity About Whats Next 30:25 Live Performance Ordinary Days

Authentic Sounds from the Shoals: A Chat with Craig Alvin

00:00 Artistic Dysmorphia00:58 Welcome to Curious Goldfish02:46 Meeting Craig Alvin05:01 AI in Music Production08:45 Vintage Gear and Character11:30 The Old Equipment Advantage13:26 Transition to Digital Mixing14:56 Building Noble Steed Studios19:13 The Muscle Shoals Magic21:24 Grammy Winning Golden Hour24:06 Music Business and Monetization27:13 Success and Social Media28:30 The Evolution of Music Industry31:10 From Performer to Engineer35:00 Growing Up in Gospel Music35:58 Understanding Studio Fear38:44 Artists Who Know Their Strengths39:48 When Fear Holds Artists Back42:18 Embracing Imperfection in Recording46:28 Listening Beyond the Studio50:20 Philosophy and Musical Insight54:02 Wrapping Up the Conversation

The Other Carliles: A Chat with Caroline & JayJ of The Carlile Family Band

Carlisle Family Band at AmericanaFest: Teen Siblings, Big Stages, and a Time-Capsule EPHost Jason English interviews teenage siblings Caroline and JJ Carlisle of the Carlisle Family Band in Nashville during AmericanaFest, where they’re attending shows, meeting industry people, and playing their first official showcase. They discuss the realities of touring together as siblings, their grounded approach to balancing family and business, and their love of music as the core motivation beyond fame. JJ shares his admiration for Gregory Alan Isakov and the story of being invited by Aunt Brandi Carlile to play mandolin onstage with Isakov at Red Rocks in front of 10,000 people. They talk about their self-titled five-song EP as a “time capsule” of songs written at 12 and 13, including Caroline’s “Dream Again” and JJ’s “Leftover Sentences,” and end by sharing what they’re currently curious about and a performance of “Tyra’s On Your Side.”00:00 Early Songs Time Capsule00:40 Podcast Welcome Setup00:06 Meet The Carlisle Siblings02:50 AmericanaFest Firsts04:05 Festival Access Milestone04:57 Sibling Band Dynamics05:41 Family Business Balance07:58 Annoying Habits On Tour09:16 What They Admire Most10:52 JJ Multi Instrument Skills11:26 Gregory Alan Isakov Deep Dive13:49 Playing Red Rocks With Gregory15:36 Aunt Brandi And Big Moments17:11 Family and Aunt Brandi17:53 Toy Instrument Prank19:08 Supporter and Origin Story20:20 Why the EP Now22:14 Dream Again Meaning23:03 Leftover Sentences Anxiety24:54 Writing on the Road25:22 Hope and Music Today26:45 Teen Life and Homeschool28:37 Artists Goals and Metrics32:31 Curiosity and New Fixations34:02 Closing and Live Song

Existential Indie Folk: A Chat with Abigayle Oakley

Before The Voice, before three chairs turned, before Team Kelly — we sat down with Abigayle Oakley on the gulf coast at the 30A Songwriters Festival and talked about what it actually feels like to build a life in music when you're still figuring out who you are.Abigayle calls her sound "existential indie folk," and it fits. She writes about not having answers — about being her own worst gaslighter, about the gap between ambition and presence, about writing 100 songs in a year just to stop being precious about the process. We talked co-writing, Julia Cameron, the pressure of social media on her generation, and why a love song about a thrifted Patagonia fleece might be the most honest thing she's written.From Las Vegas, Nevada. Based in Nashville. Currently on NBC's The Voice, Team Kelly Clarkson. This is Abigayle Oakley before the world caught on.00:00 Cold Open 00:38 Podcast Intro 01:11 Guest Introduction 03:33 Interview Begins 04:58 Touring & Venues 07:00 New Music & EP Release 07:35 100 Songs a Year 08:41 Existential Indie Folk 09:37 Worst Gaslighter 11:36 Social Media & Anxiety 12:28 Music as Therapy 14:03 Co-Writing & The Creative Process 16:04 The Artist's Way & Showing Up 17:09 Making the Leap 18:01 Career Goals & Creative Freedom 20:16 Hazel Eyed Lover in Patagonia (Story) 21:53 What Are You Most Curious About? 24:25 Closing & Goodbye 24:44 Song: Hazel Eyed Lover in Patagonia 28:29 Song: Press Three