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The Desert Vibe Podcast is your home for the Arizona music scene — full-length conversations and interviews with musicians in Arizona, plus shout-outs to local Arizona bands and live music in Arizona so you always know what’s happening next. Guests also include individuals fully immersed in the music industry as well as music gear. Hosted by Walt Richardson, Glen Gardner, and Jamirae (of The Blindsiders), we spotlight artists, venues, open mics, festivals, and the stories behind the songs — from Phoenix and Tempe to Tucson, Flagstaff, and beyond.
New episodes are posted weekly. If you love discovering independent artists and supporting local music, subscribe and come hang with the community. 🌵🎶
28 Episodes
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We sit down with legendary Tempe engineer and producer Clark Rigsby of Tempest Recording and trace how a tight local scene can shape careers far beyond Arizona. We trade stories about making records, working with major artists, and why honesty, prep, and real struggle still matter more than shiny tools. Clarke Rigsby: www.TempestRecording.com • Clark’s early road years and why he chose Tempe over LA • What changed in Tempe music culture and why venues matter • Advice for in...
A great record doesn’t start with a microphone. It starts with taste, tough choices, and someone willing to say, “That’s close, but it’s not right yet.” We’re joined by Sean Cooney, recording engineer and owner of Three Leaf Recording in Sunny Slope, for a deep look at how real music production works inside a Phoenix recording studio. Sean Cooney's Socials: www.Instagram.com/3leafrecording www.facebook.com/3leafrecording We talk about what artists should expect when they walk into a ses...
A cracked acoustic guitar sits on the table, Glenn strums a chord, and our guest looks up and says the one line you never expect to hear: he’s the person who helped put that exact guitar into the world. From there, the conversation opens up into something bigger than gear, because Rich McDonald isn’t just a player, he’s a former Fender executive vice president and chief product officer who helped guide product strategy at one of the most famous guitar companies on Earth. Website: Richmcdonald...
We sit down with Arizona singer-songwriter and author Nancy Elliott to talk about desert inspiration, creative discipline, and the surprising moment a single song turns into a full Western novel. She shares how she protects her time, captures place in lyrics and poetry, and keeps making new work across music, writing, and design. • managing a packed creative life by batching email, texts, and social media • growing up in Ohio and feeling “called” to Arizona while driving through • the Arizon...
The music business can feel like it’s floating in midair, and somehow you’re still expected to build a career on it. We sit down with touring songwriter Bobo Burns, calling in from Anaheim, to get honest about what it takes to survive as an independent musician while still making work you’re proud of. He talks about years of touring through Arizona venues and festivals, why the Arizona music community feels unusually welcoming, and how those relationships keep a scene alive long after the set...
We trade the romance of live music for the reality of making festivals work, from Glendale’s folk stages to city‑ringing mega shows. Hard lessons, fun wins, and the playbook that keeps crowds safe, hydrated, and happy without killing the vibe. • why long lead times save events • building teams and committees that cover blind spots • budgeting for insurance, security, and cleanup • planning for weather, heat, and surprise variables • artist logistics with runners, riders, and traffic • stage ...
We sit down with Ryan to unpack how Tempe’s music scene is rebuilding around public spaces, intentional production, and a vision to turn Hayden Flour Mill into a destination stage. Along the way, we talk loudness, ear protection, kava vs alcohol, and why venues are the hidden key. • shifting from dreamer to producer with hands‑on logistics • creating a container for musicians to feel safe and heard • Tempe’s many scenes and how to connect the “campfires” • vision for Hayden Flour Mill as ven...
We explore how open mics actually work, from swift changeovers and strong backline to a flexible, inclusive ethos that still guards against karaoke creep. Stories from standout bands, a spur-of-the-moment wedding, and the wider Arizona scene show how community grows when hosts say yes with care. • the monastery’s weekly open mic and monthly band showcase • balancing tracks with live performance without drifting into karaoke • two-song limits as a tool for flow and fairness • fast transitions...
We welcome Old Town Love for a lively, generous conversation about craft, values, and the unique way two musicians can fill a room with rhythm and heart. From candy debates to cajon engineering to rebranding with purpose, the story moves fast and lands with warmth. • Arizona live, loud and local focus • Old Town Love’s origin from cover band to duo • Rebrand story anchored in Old Town Scottsdale • Cajon innovation and hybrid drum approach • Guitar technique that blend...
We turn the mic on Jamirae to trace a life shaped by Mesa roots, immigrant grit, and Southern soul, and how loss refined her voice and purpose. From talent shows to running a 6,000-cap venue, she shares why every song must feel true and how community keeps art alive. • Arizona upbringing with Lebanese and Southern family roots • Learning by ear, clarinet to woodwinds, love of lyrics • First live performance at 13 and the performance spark • Songwriting as storytelling, poetry feeding melodie...
A new voice arrives with a poem over guitar, a memorial song written at fourteen, and a plan to balance ASU biology with a growing presence on Arizona stages. We explore grief, growth, and why an open, all-ages music community can change an artist’s path. • Origins of “Shoeless” and a spoken-word style over guitar • New original “I Tried” and leaning into folk textures • Writing “Ellie’s Song” as a healing act after tragedy • Instruments, solo vs band openness, and craft • Moving from Portla...
We sit down with Annie Moscow to trace the arc from classical prodigy to songwriter, lyricist, theater maker, and fearless live performer, and we dig into how she reclaimed her voice, built community in Arizona, and balances DIY independence with industry machines. We close with local show picks, including Annie’s upcoming dates. • classical training shaping a unique songwriter’s voice • writing for Disney and major artists before going solo • unlearning concert habits to serve groove and fe...
We sit down with songwriter and guitarist Shawn Royer to explore collaboration, craft, and why releasing finished songs matters more than waiting for a gatekeeper. The talk moves from KISS-fueled drum lessons to Arizona’s diverse scene, the Bluebird’s magic, and the small venues where music hits hardest. • how The Steady Kind formed with Rhonda and Freddie • moving from pitching publishers to self-releasing originals • “Moments In Between” as a country-leaning vignette • early influences fro...
Here is the latest -- It's The Best of 2025 and takes a 30-minute tour of what the show is all about. Happy New Year and look for a brand new episode next week! We celebrate a music community that puts collaboration first, from a guitar‑making school’s global legacy to a sold‑out MIM showcase built on desert‑seasoned wood. Along the way, we weigh tech’s impact on shared culture, open up about being partners on and off stage, and invite you to local gigs across the Valley. • Arizona’s collabo...
The Desert Vibe Podcast hosts (Walt Richardson, Glen Gardner, and Jamie Ray) do a relaxed “thank you + looking ahead” check-in about the Arizona music scene and why spotlighting musicians in Arizona matters. Recorded on December 11, 2025, this one is all about community, great venues, open mics, and what’s coming next as the show heads into 2026. They share a few hilarious stories (yes, including the “Barry White voice” joke and the “deflated reindeer” bit), talk about how tech helps people ...
On this episode of The Desert Vibe Podcast, we sit down with Matthew Allen of The Matthew Allen Project, one of the hardest-working independent artists in the Arizona music scene. If you care about musicians in Arizona, local community, and the power of songs to literally change a life, this one’s for you. Watch the full episode to hear the whole story. In this episode, you’ll hear about: • Turning music from a hobby into a serious business • How one song led to a daughter and a ...
A WWII pilot’s wood stash, a desert Quonset hut, and a Stanford business plan converge to form the Roberto Venn School of Luthiery. William Eaton traces the school’s roots, the 50th-anniversary builds for MIM, and how Arizona’s climate shapes guitars and the people who make them. • John Roberts’ reclaimed wood journey from Nicaragua to Phoenix • Founding of the school and early Quonset hut era • Stanford plan that formalized the program • Alumni impact across Gibson, Fender, Collings and bou...
We sit down with Carrie Schnepf to trace how a working farm became a music landmark, from early peach festivals to hosting Country Thunder and building stages on the fly. Expect hard truths about promoter economics, sweet backstage moments, and a clear case for why live music is the glue that holds great events together. • Arizona roots and a family steeped in music • Tempe’s live scene and Morningstar memories • Turning a farm into a festival venue • Country Thunder’s growth and backstage s...
We turn the mic toward Glen Gardner to trace his path from a teenage FM apprentice to a builder of Arizona’s music community. Along the way we unpack how humor, restraint, and care turn a room into a home for artists and listeners. • early FM radio days and learning live craft • the power and limits of a 50,000-watt signal • fragmentation versus shared cultural moments • hosting principles that welcome and disarm • first guitars, jazz lessons, and letting songs breathe • thirty-five years in...
Walt Richardson joins The Desert Vibe Podcast for a special co-host “guest” interview rooted in the Arizona music scene. If you love hearing how musicians in Arizona build community, find their voice, and keep showing up, watch the full episode here. Glenn Gardner and Jamirae (Jamie Ray) put Walt in the hot seat to talk about where his calm leadership style really comes from—growing up as the oldest of eight kids, moving around in a military family, and learning how to connect with people so...
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