40 Years & Still Figuring It Out: A Chat With David Ryan Harris

40 Years & Still Figuring It Out: A Chat With David Ryan Harris

David Ryan Harris on Craft Over Fame, Songwriting Prompts, and Debuting “Weekend Werewolves” | Curious GoldfishHost Jason English welcomes guitarist and songwriter David Ryan Harris at the 30A Songwriters Festival, praising his musicianship, quiet confidence, and generosity, and teasing a new song performance. Harris explains why 30A feels like a rare “work conference” with peers and why he prefers small, attentive audiences over stadium-scale connection, though he recounts playing Michigan’s “Big House” with Zach Bryan’s show. He discusses being driven by craft rather than fame, likening guitar and songwriting to puzzles, and describes weekly prompt-based writing (via Bob Schneider) as a deadline that keeps his inner critic at bay and sparks creative angles. Harris shares views on editing, songwriting “magic,” and cites songs “Still Be Loving You” (written for his mom’s birthday) and “Coldplay” as puzzle-like achievements, reflects on writing nuanced love songs about women, credits kindness to his mother, says deeper communication grew through sobriety/therapy, talks about producing (inspired by Rick Rubin), names upcoming work with Jennifer Lynn Simpson and Ana Bean, and closes by sharing his new song “Weekend Werewolves.”00:00 Writing Women Honestly 01:15 Podcast Intro and Guest Setup 03:26 New Year Banter at 30A 04:07 Why 30A Keeps Calling 04:39 Small Rooms Over Stadiums 05:51 Playing the Big House 07:29 Craft Over Fame Mindset 10:20 Song Prompts and Deadlines 15:35 Editing Versus Inspiration 17:40 Chasing the Magic Song 19:45 Coldplay Moment Chorus 21:16 Songs About Women 24:08 From Punk To Love Songs 25:13 Love And Male Anger 26:11 Mom Birthday Song 26:45 Learning Communication Sober 28:59 Artist Growth And Production 32:36 Curiosity And Motivation 28:58 Closing And Live Performance

Blue-Collar Cowboy: A Chat with Matthias Lamparter

Matthias Lamparter on 15 Seconds of Fame, Concrete Cowboy, and Building a Sustainable Music CareerIn this Curious Goldfish episode, host Jason English interviews Nashville musician Matthias Lamparter about the decade-long, self-funded path to his debut album, 15 Seconds of Fame, recorded with top players and Grammy-winning engineers and releasing June 10, 2026. Lamparter describes earlier failed recording attempts, why he resisted releasing low-quality work, and how the title reflects today’s short attention spans. They discuss the hustle of funding music through long cover sets, private events, and learning to entertain crowds, plus why he believes fans are built more through live shows than social media. Lamparter shares a pivotal experience playing four-hour sets, his “why not me?” mindset, the message behind his single “Concrete Cowboy,” and how past legal trouble and resourcefulness shaped his discipline and resilience.00:00 Long Set Reality Check 00:32 Podcast Intro and Guest Setup 02:15 Debut Album Ten Year Journey 03:40 Early Recording Attempts 06:32 Why 15 Seconds of Fame 09:55 Theme Why Not Me 11:29 Superfans and Live First Strategy 17:24 Learning the Bar and Fair Circuit 23:13 Concrete Cowboy Breakdown 26:04 Getting Jammed Up and Rebuilding 28:35 Where He Is Now and Gratitude 30:39 Curiosity Guitars and Engines 32:24 Wrap Up and Album Release Date

He's More Than a Clown in a Barrel: A Chat with Barrett Baber

Barrett Baber on Crittenden County, Songwriting Magic, the Grind in Nashville, and Keeping AI Out of LyricsSinger-songwriter Barrett Baber joins host Jason English on the Curious Goldfish podcast to discuss his 10-song album Crittenden County, inspired by his upbringing in Marion/West Memphis, Arkansas, near Memphis and the Mississippi River, and shaped by influences ranging from Memphis soul to ’90s rock. Baber shares how songs like “Clown in a Barrel” reflect loving something that hurts—often mirroring his relationship with the music business—and why he keeps showing up despite financial pressure from streaming economics. He explains his independent release strategy of issuing “double” singles, describes the “holy” magic of co-writing and studio sessions, and details the origins of songs like “Hurt Talking” and “West of Memphis.” Baber also recounts surviving a 1999 commercial plane crash, compares American Idol and The Voice, and draws a firm line against using AI to write lyrics or melodies while using it only as a production exploration tool.00:00 Chasing the Dream 01:06 Podcast Intro Setup 03:27 March Madness Weekend 05:03 Crittenden County Roots 10:33 River Delta Inspiration 13:35 Album Themes Grown Up 16:27 Clown in a Barrel Story 18:52 Showing Up Anyway 24:11 Indie Release Strategy 29:33 Songwriting Room Magic 35:16 Writer Block Breakthrough 35:51 West of Memphis Meaning 38:09 Big Rock Production 38:45 Songwriting Is Spiritual 40:16 Can Anyone Write Songs 42:08 Co Writing And Demos 44:09 Fireworks Gets Cut 47:30 Radio Pays Songwriters 49:23 Idol Versus The Voice 53:35 Plane Crash And Trauma 56:04 Toughness And Showing Up 59:53 AI Versus Human Art 01:05:34 AI Expands Genres 01:09:37 Curiosity And The Future01:13:35 Wrap Up And Farewell

On the Precipice: A Chat with Certainly So

Certainly So on Vulnerable Songwriting, Festival Prep, and Going All-In | Curious GoldfishJason English welcomes Certainly So (Colby, Tanner, Zach, and Chase) to Curious Goldfish, discussing the slow grind of independent music, balancing side jobs, and approaching the brink of going full-time. They reflect on meeting through Mississippi State and local jam sessions, Southern and church-band influences, and how their sound developed naturally, often leaning melancholy (once reflected in their former name, The Indigo). The band shares preparation for a major festival slot at Bourbon & Beyond, their evolving collaborative songwriting process (including a Joshua Tree writing trip), and why vulnerability tends to produce their strongest songs. They also talk about touring’s impact on dating and relationships, personal curiosities, and close with live takes of “Alabama Blues” and “Foreign Ties.”00:00 Chasing The Magic 00:36 Podcast Welcome 01:52 Meet Certainly So 03:46 Festival First Impressions 04:51 Bourbon And Beyond Prep 06:44 Artists They Want To See 07:35 How The Band Formed 09:13 Starkville Culture Stories 10:07 Southern Roots And Church Gigs 12:10 Songwriting Process And Next Release 16:12 Band Growth Milestones 17:07 Going Full Time 18:11 Festival Goals Ahead 18:45 Childhood Band Memories 21:11 Dating On The Road 23:26 Tour Life Reality Check 25:07 Curiosity Questions 29:22 Closing And Live Songs

Shelly Fairchild's Waited Long Enough

Shelly Fairchild on Staying in the Queue, Recording at FAME, and Building an Independent CareerOn Curious Goldfish, host Jason English talks with Mississippi-born, Nashville-based singer-songwriter Shelly Fairchild about persevering through setbacks (“stay in the queue” and “buy the tree”), including losing a major label deal 20 years ago after being outed and forging an independent path since. Fairchild shares why it took a decade to make her new album, how a Kickstarter funded it, and why she recorded at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals with producers Gary Nichols and Greg Beek, describing the studio’s historic energy and an accompanying documentary shoot. She compares the new record’s themes of home, loss, and identity to earlier albums, discusses songs like “End Up in Austin,” “Missin’ Mississippi,” and “Struggle,” and reflects on musical theater roots, touring as a backing vocalist, and writing high-volume sync music for TV/film—including navigating AI demo tools and changing music economics.00:00 Stay in the Queue01:05 Podcast Welcome and Guest Intro01:51 Water Filter Cold Open03:34 Ten Years Between Albums05:16 Why Muscle Shoals and FAME10:26 The Magic of Muscle Shoals12:45 Themes and Storytelling Roots14:56 Finding Her Sound Over Time17:22 End Up in Austin Backstory20:00 More Songs and The Struggle23:11 Musical Theater Origins28:46 Business Lessons from Touring32:01 Stay in the Queue34:32 Whirlwind Tour Lessons35:39 Bus Driver Wakeup Call37:24 Two Decades in a Blur38:08 Making Money with Sync41:14 How Sync Writing Works44:44 AI and Demo Shortcuts47:52 Losing the Deal Coming Out51:00 Authenticity and Activism56:06 Curiosity and Distribution59:49 Tour Dates and Farewell