'Don't Chase the Chicken' - Jon Muq on Stress, Songwriting & His Incredible Journey

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

'Don't Chase the Chicken' - Jon Muq on Stress, Songwriting & His Incredible Journey

Jon Muq on Captive Audiences, Culture Shock in Austin, and Writing Joyful Songs | Curious Goldfish (30A Songwriters Fest)At the 30A Songwriters Festival, host Jason English interviews Ugandan-born, Austin-based musician Jon Muq about his unusual path into music and life in the U.S. Jon describes learning English through singing, first to homeless children in Uganda and later as a cruise-ship performer building a 250+ song repertoire, plus how “We Are the World” sparked his belief his voice could “fit in a tune.” He recounts arriving in Austin for a refugee fundraiser during SXSW, navigating community and dating culture differences, and developing his English fluency through music. Jon discusses his debut English album "Flying Away," including writing “Butterflies,” his moment-driven songwriting approach for a second album, his philosophy of posting content without chasing metrics, and launching the Afrobeats-focused label/event project Shake It Africa, while reflecting on stress, authenticity, and the future of the music industry amid new technology.00:00 Wild Austin First Date01:06 Podcast Intro And Guest Setup03:10 30A Festival Vibes05:15 Back To Uganda After Years07:02 Music As Language Training08:04 Singing For Street Kids09:25 We Are The World Spark11:48 Cruise Ship Bootcamp13:23 Landing In Austin By Chance16:03 Finding Community In Austin16:55 Community and Offense17:26 Dating Culture Shock19:12 Connection Versus Work19:46 Visa and First Gigs20:24 Flying Away Album21:45 Butterflies Backstory23:05 Writing in the Moment25:28 Artist Mindset and Ambition26:57 Happy Songs and Stress28:44 Content Pressure and Identity30:34 Shake It Africa Plans32:07 Curiosity and Future Tech34:01 Runaway Live Performance

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