WoodpileOrphans

Drummer Derek Sorrells talks about his time keeping the time for artists Johnny Q Public, Miss Angie, The Frantics, Homesick and others.

Derek Sorrells returns to conclude the story of his drumming career, including his stints with The Frantics and London Calling (with Jaime Rowe) and his meeting with a tall caped demon named Gene Simmons.

If you’re a fan of old timey and traditional American rural music and you happened to catch an earful of the modern ‘Power Country’ or ‘Bro Country’, some of it might strike ya as written by city slicker bottom-liners trying to dumb the art down as low as possible, as if all us consumer cretins needed was a song about being driven in a pickup truck to a free-flowing whiskey bonfire by women in Daisy Dukes to separate us from our pork rind moistened cash. This is not just a cynic talking- I’ve heard them in recording studios and back stages separating themselves from the crap they’re shoveling, just so we know that they know it’s bad. But there’s still some torch-carrying musicians out there mostly off the radar that both know the roots of the music and respect it enough to push it to new directions, much like the long-dead rule-breakers they admire. Greg Garing we believe is one of those fellers and he’s so dedicated, he’s about killed himself trying to keep it alive. On one of his better feeling days, Greg came Back by the Woodpile to share a few of the multitude of stories he’s picked up and live throughout his career. (Recorded in 2016)

Tito Puente was considered hands down the “King of the Mambo”, pushing and molding the genre of Latin jazz known by many names over time. To Puente, whether it was called Afro-Cuban, Cubop, Cha-Cha, Boogaloo or Salsa, it was all the same to him: great dance music. Jim Payne author of Tito Puente: King of Latin Music comes Back by the Woodpile to discuss the master’s life and their time together.

Seth and Nirva Ready not only have their own musical career as a duo and host a theological/cultural podcast called FreeMind but they have also sang for folks like Kirk Franklin, Toby Mack, CeCe Winans, Rachael Lampa, Chris Tomlin, Donnie McClurkin and many others. On this episode the couple pull their lawn chairs up to the Woodpile to talk about their own personal histories, music industry insights and adventures, struggles to navigate the conflicts of the day within and outside the church while maintaining grace for their fellow man and several other topics that meander in and out of our free-flowing conversation.

Songwriter Bill Luther comes Back by the Woodpile to talk about the struggle and the songs that come of it, ultimately landing him hits by Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Mark Wills and others.

Legendary Drummer Aaron A Train Smith stops by the Woodpile talks about the early days of his career involving The Temptations, The Undisputed Truth, Norman Whitfield, Chuck Jackson, Miroslav Vitous, Wah Wah Watson, The Jackson Five and others!

Aaron A Train Smith returns to talk of his education in drumming, his stints with The 77s, Romeo Void and Rich Mullins and of his faith and philosophy.

Legendary musician Phil Keaggy comes Back by the Woodpile to talk over 25 years later about his masterpiece album Beyond Nature. The life events surrounding it’s composition and recording, the philosophical origin behind the project, exclusive performances and explorations of the songs and the record’s impact on everyone involved are all discussed.