Songwriter Trysts

Bass player, producer and songwriter Zac Watson from Melbourne shares of his journey as an artists, bass player, rock n' roll lover and country music band member turning into full time songwriter producer with the release of his first single as a solo artist. In addition to his talents as a performer and songwriter, Zac is also a formidable force in the realm of music production. Armed with a keen ear for detail and a passion for sonic innovation, he brings a unique perspective to the studio, blending analog warmth with digital precision to create rich, immersive soundscapes that resonate with audiences on a visceral level. From crafting intricate arrangements to sculpting the perfect mix, Zac's production skills elevate every project he touches, imbuing it with a timeless allure and cinematic grandeur. Connect with Zac ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Website

Creative writer, novelist, children’s books, and songs, Tess Rowley joins Rae Leigh in an intimate discussion about creative writing, her work with not-for-profits, and child advocacy work. Earlier in 2024 Tess received the Medal Order of Australia or an OAM for her incredible work in serving the community. A lifetime of dedication and using her creative writing skills to bless generations of children and women, all over the world. Her most famous book, commissioned for a purpose by an NFP, was initially banned by ABC and then sold out in Australia. Listen to the story behind her groundbreaking work and intimate experiences she has had and how she has used her gifts to share her and other’s stories to benefit the community. Youtube Tess Rowley The Really Good Bookshop

Robbie Mortimer is an Australian singer songwriter who has recenetly come back after a 3 year break while he went through personal and professional development to bring his best to the world. His new single is called Blow The Speakers and has country all over it. Living on the farm with a large family of boys who were all very much sports focused Robbie talks about his experince being a creative songwriting lover who was the youngest of a large family. His love of music and performing relaly shows through his podcast and performance and we know as you listen and get to know him you will learn to love him and his music as much as we do. Connect with Robbie here: Website Instagram YouTube Facebook Spotify

Avery Harden is an American songwriter and self-proclaimed positive rapper. We dive into his roots in Christian music, Christian rap, Disney influence, and faith upbringing. Avery is an independent artist who collaborates, tours, and recently released his second album Atlantis II. Coming to tour in Australia in October 2024 we were excited to discuss his music, positive influences and journey as an artist chasing his dreams. connect with Avery: Website Instagram YouTube Facebook Spotify TikTok Check out his podcast too here: ABOV The Multiverse

Max Jackson, 2024 Golden Guitar winner at Tamworth awards in Australia. Max is a songwriter and singer and we talk about how it was the songwriting that came first for her. Writing for almost 12 years before releasing her first single in 2020 she found her voice and purpose and she has been living it with passion. Lots of encouragement as a Toyota Star Maker competition winner. She can write a song, hold a tune, and entertain your boots off. So grateful to have spent some time getting to know our newest superstar to country music in Australia and you will be too. Connect with Max: ⁠Website⁠ ⁠Spotify⁠ ⁠YouTube⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Facebook

Sue Ray gets real with their discussion on neurodiverse conditions and the impact that has had on Sue as a woman, mother, and musician. Her inspirational story is a testament that there is always another way to keep looking for your people. Sue is bravely stepping into her power as a songwriting coach, artist, and indigenous advocate through Qmusic in Brisbane Australia and we are so glad to have had the chance to have her on the show. Sue Ray, the winner of the 2022 QMusic Blues’n’roots award, is an Australian Indigenous multi-award-winning singer/songwriter who captivates audiences with her original brand of country/blues and roots music, smoky rich voice, and high-energy performances. Often compared to such artists as Bonnie Raitt, Chris Stapleton, and Lucinda Williams, Sue’s sound crosses genres allowing her to appeal to a wide audience demographic. Sue recently returned to Australia after being based in Nashville, where she worked alongside industry greats and connected into the scene, gigging and writing. Sue has a Diploma of Film & Television, Cert IV in Contemporary Music, Certificate in Sound Engineering and video production, and has completed a songwriting course at the Songpreneurs Retreat in Nashville TN. Connect with Sue: ⁠Website⁠ ⁠Spotify⁠ ⁠YouTube⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Facebook⁠

Wesley Dean, an Adelaide-born singer-songwriter has been living in Nashville since March 2021 the height of the pandemic, and moved there with his wife and kids. After winning Australian Idol in 2008 he discusses in the interview his dance with his ego and how he needed to have kids, get married, and live life before he had something he felt was worth saying. Coming in his new album which we eagerly anticipate. Live from Sol Train studios in Nashville they have given us a great interview today with their help with recording the audio for this podcast interview with Wesley as he was in the studio recording. Connect with Wesley: Website Spotify YouTube Instagram Facebook

Bonus episode this week with The Hey Mate Project, a mental health company building awareness and supporting creative industries including Qmusic in Brisbane. Host Rae Leigh interviews guest Aimee Davies the founder of Hey Mate Project. This is a great conversation about the company and how they started, what they are doing, and why it's so important for us as artists to take care of our mental health. Aimee goes into the difference between mental health and mental illness, the struggles the music industry has had in comparison to other creative industries, and the impact they hope to have. Aimee gives great advice about what we can do to lift the industry and take better care of each other. Connect with They Hey Mate Project here: ⁠Website⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠

Tyler Spicer, musician, producer and songwriter from Bath UK soon to be in Nashville. This passionate artist has been pivoting his talents in a big way he thanks the covid lockdowns for this change and feels like it was the perfect time for him to move into this production space. Connect with Tyler: Instagram Website YouTube Facebook

An emotional rollercoaster of laughs, sad, ugly, beautiful, best and worst. Rock n Roll, music and its history. This conversation with Mario Vayne and Rae Leigh goes into it all. A fun conversation about songwriting and music for your Christmas trip this week. Check out Mario's Music and info here: Website Spotify YouTube Instagram Facebook

Ella and Scienna, Australian female country singer-songwriting DUO jump on a Zoom call and record a chat with host Rae Leigh about their musical journey and their Taylor Swift tribute show. Sisters Ella & Stella are hitting the road and recording studio to launch their careers in the music industry and they are having so much fun doing it. "It’s Not Me, It’s You” embraces Ella & Sienna’s newfound country-pop sound, with an anthem track that embodies their vocal harmonies. With rich layers of overdriven rock-influenced guitars, and energetic drums intertwined with banjo and slide, they have proven they are one of the most exciting emerging artists in the Australian music scene today.  Connect with Ella & Sienna here: Website Facebook Instragram Spotify Youtube

Michael Saleta, a songwriter from Sale, in Victoria Australia, and now living and working as a full-time songwriter in Nashville with his wife Sarah and publisher. Hear how this music teacher from Melbourne changed his whole life around, quit his day job, and launched into a life filled with music and joy. The most optimistic and determined songwriter we have had on the show and inspiring for anyone who likes to write songs and one day would like to do it full time. Connect with Michael through his linktree HERE

Propulsive rock’n’roll mingles with expansive Americana on Seattle songwriter Scott Clay’s forthcoming LP Time Will Tell. Buoyed by a voice both plaintive and roughhewn, Time Will Tell invites listeners to slow down and reflect on our true nature and our collective humanity. When it came time to track Time Will Tell, Clay and a cadre of top-flight musicians, including engineer Mike Davis (Modest Mouse, Head and the Heart), bassist David Dawda (Fruit Bats), drummer Sean Lane (Pedro the Lion) and pianist Daniel Walker (Heart), together they set up camp at the venerable Hall of Justice studio in Seattle. Connect with Clay: Website Instagram Facebook YouTube Spotify

Drew Ryder Smith is an artist and singer-songwriter in his own right after years of writing for others and his own struggle with mental health and substances he has broken through into releasing his own music and performing all over the country. A raw and honest conversation with great stories and advice for songwriters and artists alike. Connect with Drew: Website Instagram Facebook YouTube Spotify

Van life musician in Australia Austin Mackay stops by in the van to chat with Rae Leigh live in the studio on the Gold Coast before heading down the east coast on tour to Melbourne. We loved having this young and enthusiastic talent share with us his journey and hearing about his future hopes but also how he has ended up in the dream life on the road with his guitar after COVID pulled him from the cover scene and pushed him back into his original music. Be melted away with his beautiful stories, voice, and guitar. We also released a special live acoustic version of his single "Real Life" on YouTube now. Connect with Austin: Website Facebook Instagram YouTube

"You can change your life at any point in time" This quote from featured artist singer-songwriter from outback Queensland Scotty Mack with his Songwriter Trysts interview with Rae Leigh. Auditioning for The Voice in 2023 Australia with the audition song "Foot Loose" he is back and sharing his original music which is charting across the Australian country scene. Music is therapy and healing and so are his friends who he credits for getting him back to what he loves. An inspirational conversation and worth a listen. Growing up in Outback Queensland, Scotty Mack calls Charleville home, living and breathing what life in the outback means to this inspiring singer/songwriter. Scotty got his first chance to sing on stage with the Walmsley Brothers, performing on the back of a truck at the Charleville racecourse. “From then on I was hooked”, says Scotty. Influenced by Garth Brooks, Brooks and Dunn and Alan Jackson, and with a passion for country music, Scotty Mack became a Finalist in the ‘Road to Tamworth’ and ‘Queensland Champion of Champions competitions and has recently auditioned on The VOICE Australia. Connect with Scotty: Website Facebook Instagram YouTube Spotify

Melanie Dyer drops a brand new single, “Dust”.  The Australian singer/songwriter has cemented herself as a leading lady in contemporary country with hits like “Memphis T-Shirt”, “Run Out Of Road” and her most recent hit, “Song For That”.  Joining the lineup for CMA Music Festival 2023, Melanie played alongside the likes of Jason Aldean, Dan + Shay, Miranda Lambert and more to celebrate the Festival’s 50th Anniversary.   With sales approaching 10 million, Melanie released her sophomore album in 2022, “Between You & Me”; featuring hit singles, “Run Out Of Road”, “Cheap Moscato”, “Cheating On Me” and “Dumb Decisions” (with Caitlyn Shadbolt) and the title track a collab with US Artist Troy Cartwright. The album earned Melanie 2 CMAA Golden Guitar Award nominations for Female Artist of the Year and Collaboration of the year in January 2023. Melanie is an APRA Professional Development Award Winner, APRA Nominated songwriter (“Memphis T-Shirt”) and an ‘in demand’ songwriter within the Australian music industry. Connect with Melanie: Website YouTube Facebook Instagram Spotify

Growing up with father Slim Dusty and boarding school in Sale Victoria our featured guest David from Two Tone Pony the band after retiring from a career as a medical practitioner has gotten back into the studio and out on the road. Celebrating the art of songwriting, passion, and music host Rae Leigh and David discuss the powerful art form and give tips and advice on the journey to writing, co-writing, and recording your own music. Two Tone Pony was born out of late afternoon verandah sessions overlooking the Tasman Sea on the Central Coast of NSW. With their musical roots buried in alt-country, this five-piece collective is beginning to create a following amongst people who enjoy foot-tapping on Sunday afternoons whilst listening to original tunes that tell stories of Australia. Their influences include locals such as Slim Dusty and Don Walker, but also those on the American scene like Jason Isbell and Wilco. Between them they’ve been around various musical outfits for quite some time, they share vocals, can play multiple instruments, and love what they do. Over the last twelve months, they’ve written and recorded a bunch of original tunes that are shovel-ready to tour and you can sample them by jumping on the video links. Two Tone Pony is David Kirkpatrick, Ian Rhodes, Graham Puglisi, Glen Willey, and Greg Richardson. Connect with Two Tone Pony here: Website Facebook YouTube Instagram Spotify

For multiple Grammy, CMA, ACM Award-winning producer Keith Stegall, music has always been his life, strongly influenced by his dad, 1950s Abbott Records recording artist, Bob Stegall. The elder Stegall also played steel guitar for the legendary country singer Johnny Horton. Born in the central Texas town of Wichita Falls and raised in Shreveport (the home of the Louisiana Hayride, a stage his father often graced) the Stegalls were constantly playing and writing songs on guitars and the piano. It was by chance he met another famous Texan, Kris Kristofferson, who inspired Keith to move to Music City. “Show me what you’ve got!” Kris told Keith backstage at a Kristofferson show. Keith played a couple songs, which prompted Kristofferson to remark, “Son, you need to get your ass to Nashville and hang out with other writers. They will break you down and make you the best you can be.” Keith took the advice to heart and three months after his arrival in 1978, Keith co-wrote his first hit, Dr. Hooks’ 1980 smash Sexy Eyes. Soon after, Helen Reddy, The Commodores, Johnny Mathis, and many others rushed to record Keith’s songs. Most notable was Al Jarreau’s career hit We’re In This Love Together. Eventually Keith signed a record deal with Capitol Records and later Epic Records. He released a pair of albums in the early 1980s with minor chart success. “Because I grew up in the studio,” Keith recalls, “the mistake I made was that they told me to produce myself.” The upside, he says, was he learned how to produce other artists by producing himself. In the midst of trying to get his own artist career off the ground, a struggling nightclub singer named Randy Ray asked Keith to produce an independent album to sell at his local gigs. The project led to Keith producing the standout songs On The Other Hand and Reasons I Cheat on the singer’s epochal debut, “Storms of Life,” under the singer’s new moniker… Randy Travis. Connect with Keith: ⁠Website⁠ ⁠Facebook⁠

World-renowned pianist and composer Chad Lawson, in the past two years has been working to reshape the role that music plays in our daily lives, forging a powerful new pathway for healing. On his luminous new double album breathe, he expands on the extraordinary intentionality he first brought to his massively streamed 2020 effort You Finally Knew, transforming his decidedly modern take on classical music into a conduit for stillness, serenity, and self-reflection. Partly informed by his work as creator and host of the iHeartRadio Award-nominated podcast “Calm It Down” (where he guides listeners through techniques for breathing and meditation while tackling mental health subjects) breathe ultimately establishes Lawson as an essential new voice exploring the intersection of music and wellness—all while delivering an exquisitely crafted body of work whose melodic beauty transcends all genre boundaries. With his latest endeavors including undergoing certification to teach breathing techniques, Lawson has recently begun to integrate breathing exercises into his music and live performance. For Mental Health Awareness Month, he released breathe (guided breathwork edition), a new deluxe edition of his latest album which includes a series of guided breathwork tracks, with Lawson’s soothing voice guiding listeners through simple techniques.  Co-produced by Lawson and London-based orchestrator Geoff Lawson, breathe came to life at the legendary Abbey Road Studios (the same facility where he recorded You Finally Knew, whose standout track “Stay” held steady in the top 25 on the Billboard Classical chart for 80 consecutive weeks). So while the album features guest appearances from cellist Peter Gregson, violinist Esther Yoo, and members of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, breathe embodies an understated elegance that allows a tremendous depth of feeling to shine through every moment. Lawson has been featured by CBS Sunday Morning, NPR, Forbes, GRAMMY.com, Financial Times, and many more. Connect with Chad: Website YouTube Instagram Facebook