The Trout Show

If you’re a performer trying to get your music heard in a crowded industry, this interview is for you. We sit down with Claire Donzelli of Clarity Music Marketing, a Los Angeles-based agency founded by a working artist who gets what it’s really like to juggle creating and promoting. Claire shares practical, authentic strategies for growing your audience, running smart campaigns, and cutting through the noise—without wasting time or money on tactics that don’t work. Whether you’re releasing yo...

From the cold streets of Cleveland comes Tropidelic, the high-energy force blending reggae rock, funk, hip-hop, and pure party vibes. Formed in the mid-2000s at Kent State University by frontman Matthew Roads and friends, the band has spent nearly two decades building a grassroots following through relentless touring, explosive live shows, and a string of independent releases. They’ve shared stages with acts like 311, Slightly Stoopid, and the Dirty Heads, landed albums on the Billboard regga...

In this episode, I take you inside Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival 2026 in Austin, Texas. Over two unforgettable nights at the Moody Center, generations of guitar greats—including Clapton, John Mayer, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Trey Anastasio, Buddy Guy, Joe Bonamassa, Tommy Emmanuel, and many others—came together for rare collaborations and marathon sets, all in support of the Crossroads Centre Antigua. From electric “Layla” moments and all-star jams to acoustic standouts and the unique...

From Goshen, Indiana, to the national stage, Ethan Setiawan has established himself as one of the most formidable and versatile mandolinists of his generation. A two-time champion—winning both the National Mandolin Championship and the Rockygrass Mandolin Championship—he honed his craft at Berklee College of Music on a full scholarship. His playing moves fluidly from traditional bluegrass to Bach, free jazz, and beyond, with original albums like Flux, Gambit, and the collaborative Encyclopedi...

Ruby Dice is an Austin-based Americana artist, bassist, and bandleader whose sound pulls from mountain grit and Texas soul — country, rock, and raw honesty. Originally from Gunnison, Colorado, she has shared the stage with Brian Wilson, recorded with members of Band of Heathens, and become a fixture in the Austin scene. Voted Best Bassist in Austin this year, she fronts her own band while collaborating across the city. Her new album and documentary bring together more than a dozen Austin arti...