Sky Smeed - One of the Heartland's Best Songwriters - Fight Me!

I recently welcomed my friend Sky Smeed to spend an hour with me on the Mid-Coast Live! program on KKFI. I have a fifteen-year history with this Kansas songwriter; he was the first artist I had join me live in the KKFI studios as I launched The Tasty Brew Music Radio Show in 2010. I’ve hosted Sky at my home for a house concert. A good number of the songs masterfully captured by Barak Hill on his latest album, a live recording at The Rock House in Reeds Spring, Missouri are familiar to me as are some of Sky’s life experiences that gave rise to songs like “Don’t Know What to Do” “Lunker Bass” and “Without Music.” That familiarity does not diminish the emotional impact of hearing these songs on this recording nor is it required to appreciate the underlying artistry of the words, stories and guitar accompaniment.

It is ALWAYS a treat to hear a new (to me) Sky Smeed tuneand this recording introduces me to precious guitar work on “Hangin’ On”, the affirmation that “Good Luck” is indeed “sick” according to Sky’s daughter Rosalie, the bittersweet and comedic reality of not wanting to work “Nine to Five” anymore and concurrence with “Keep Rolling On” that things do/life does change in the blink of an eye.

Sky exhibits wonderful crowd work and pacing on this record;his Prine-like sense of humor is front and center on tunes like “Chicken of the Trees,” “Barbecue” and “Bumper Sticker.” I have always appreciated his homage to those masters that came before him. His take on Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice” is stellar. Just sing along…it’s okay.

I have been privileged to attend a number of musicalevenings at The Rock House over the years. The folks that were in attendance on this particular evening got to witnesslightning being caught in a bottle. Kudos to Rock House Co-Hosts Jeanette Bair and Bruce Anderson, recording engineer (and awesome songwriter in his own right) Barak Hill and of course, to my friend, Sky Smeed. Well done!

#songwriter #rootsmusic #communityradio #tastybrewmusic

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(130)

Mason Via - Putting His Own Spin on Traditional Bluegrass Music!

I have to pinch myself sometimes on the blessings I havetalking to some of the most talented and influential artists in roots music, especially when it’s in support of a live performance in the Heartl...

10 Aug 20min

My Politic - Signs of Life - It's All Just Math

Two immediate updates are required for this next episode of the Tasty Brew Music Podcast. Within 48 hours of me speaking to Kaston Guffey of the indie folk duo My Politic on the radio over the 2026 F...

29 Jul 27min

Lauren Wanamaker and Lucy Isabel - Bluebird Cafe Type Session on the Radio!

Fund Drive shows on community radio used to give me so much anxiety but over the years, and with well over 50 of them under my belt, I now approach them like any other broadcast. Have fun, entertain a...

27 Jul 55min

Nicki White - Creating Sacred Spaces in the Omnipresence of the Divine

I’ve been a Nicki White supporter for over 10 years inwhatever iteration she chooses… pop, blues, R & B, country, roots… she bends multiple genres seamlessly, works hard in multiple projects like “Fla...

27 Jul 50min

Crys Matthews - Amplifying Voices and Shedding Light!

The community radio station for which I am a programmer has the following mission statement: We seek to stimulate, educate and entertain our audience, to reflect the diversity of the local and world ...

5 Jun 41min

The Shandies - A Lovely Sip of Music from Springfield, MO!

I had my first experience as a panelist at a Folk Alliance Region Midwest mini-conference or “Farmette” in Emporia, Kansas. My co-presenter, Nick Carswell, and I were to share our insights and opini...

11 Mai 32min

Caleb Nelsen - Grit and Honesty from a First Responder

Some things never get old…. Like the opportunity tointroduce a songwriter from the Heartland to a radio audience for the first time. I had the opportunity during a recent “Pledge Drive” on KKFI to i...

15 Apr 40min