What's The Reason For This Podcast

🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi and Shay sit down in the dungeon with the one and only Mark “Huggy Bear” Lavengood, a walking vibe, a musical Swiss Army knife, and quite possibly the only man out here lifting Billy Strings off the ground mid-hug. 🐻🎶🔥From kitchen shifts at Founders Brewing to festival stages, studio builds, and full-on freak show hosting… this episode is a deep dive into the energy, evolution, and authenticity that make Huggy Bear exactly who he is.This one gets into: 🐻 The origin of “Huggy Bear” and how one job interview hug turned into a full-blown identity 🥁 Starting on drums, teaching himself everything by ear, and unlocking music through pure intuition 🎸 The moment the switch flipped realizing he could play anything and chasing it across instruments 🎶 Building roots with Winter Sessions and finding his lane through experimentation and improvBut this episode really opens up when the journey expands…🚐 Life on the road with Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellys seven years of touring, growth, and tough decisions ⚖️ Choosing family, balance, and creative freedom over the “all-in” road life 🏡 Building his own lane from Bear Den Studio to festivals, collaborations, and entrepreneurial chaos 💿 What’s next: a brand new project “Wake Up Vol. 1 & 2” and continuing to carve out his own soundAnd then… things get weird (in the best way possible).🎭 Getting the call from Billy Strings’ camp and stepping into the role of Freak Fair host 🟡 Running wild through Asheville in full character, interacting with fans, and bringing the chaos to life 🤝 The deep Michigan roots and long-standing connection with Billy and the crewAt its core, this episode is about being unapologetically yourself trusting your instincts, following your curiosity, and knowing when to pivot without losing the passion that got you there in the first place.🎧 Tap in now wherever you listen to podcasts. It’s hilarious, heartfelt, and a reminder that sometimes the best thing you can be… is just a damn good hug. 🐻✨#WhatsTheReasonForThis #MarkLavengood #HuggyBear

🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi sits down in the dungeon with Will “Mustang” McGee the groove-driving backbone of Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country for a deep dive into music, identity, and what it really takes to build your own sound. 🐎🎸🔥 From Memphis soul roots to sold-out festival stages, Mustang breaks down the journey balancing life on the road, developing his voice as a bassist, and carving out space for his own artistry through his solo project Horseplay. 🎶✨ This episode dives into: 🎧 Growing up on Memphis music and the influence of legends like James Jamerson, Chuck Rainey, and Donald “Duck” Dunn 🎸 Finding your voice as a musician and why playing with others is the fastest way to grow 💿 The story behind Horseplay and how it captures his deeper R&B and soul roots 🎙️ The creative process starting with a single line, opening the “portal,” and letting songs pour out 🔥 Life inside Cosmic Country, fearless songwriting, live experimentation, and building songs on the flyAnd yes… they get into the chaos too.🥕 The infamous “carrot” phenomenon how fans started “feeding the horses” mid-jam and turned it into a full-blown live show tradition 🌌 Festival moments like WinterWonderGrass, Cantina Band comebacks, and commanding massive crowds in real time 🎨 Life outside music drawing, collaborating with his fiancée, and finding balance on the roadBut at its core, this episode is about identity and growth learning your craft, staying open to every opportunity, and trusting that every experience (even the messy ones) is shaping your sound.🎧 Stream it now wherever you get podcasts. It’s thoughtful, hilarious, and packed with real insight for anyone chasing creativity — whether you’re on stage or just getting started. 🌊✨#WhatsTheReasonForThis #MustangMcGee #CosmicCountry

🎶🔥 Banshee Tree: Evolution, Experimentation & the Road to a New Album 🔥🎶This week in the dungeon, the crew welcomes Colorado’s genre-bending powerhouse Banshee Tree for a wild and insightful conversation about the band’s evolution, their upcoming album, and the strange, beautiful road that got them here. 🌲✨From the early days playing weekly gigs under the Boulderado Hotel—with unlimited bar tabs and pheasant dinners—to touring the country and carving out a sound that refuses to sit inside any single genre, Banshee Tree shares the story behind more than a decade of musical experimentation.What started as a swing-inspired project slowly morphed into something entirely its own: a high-energy fusion of electro-swing, jam improvisation, Balkan rhythms, jazz, and psychedelic dance grooves. With each lineup change and musical influence, the band leaned further into the idea that their strength comes from giving every member space for their unique voice to shape the sound. 🎷🎹🥁In this episode we dive into:✨ The early Colorado scene that helped launch the band 🎶 How weekly gigs became the band’s experimentation laboratory 🚐 Life on the road—from Key West to the Pacific Northwest 🎷 The addition of sax, synth, and new sonic textures 💿 The long, meticulous process of crafting their upcoming album 🎤 Why their current sound finally captures the true spirit of the bandThe new record represents years of growth, lineup changes, studio experimentation, and relentless touring. After layering hundreds of tracks, refining arrangements, and reshaping songs along the way, the band is finally ready to share a project that reflects who Banshee Tree truly is today. 🌌And the celebration is just getting started.🎉 The official album release show is happening March 27th at the Fox Theatre in Boulder, where fans can get their hands on the physical vinyl before the digital release later in April.If you love discovering bands that push boundaries, blur genres, and build something completely their own… this is an episode you don’t want to miss.🎧 Tune in now and get ready to dive into the world of Banshee Tree.

🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi hangs in the dungeon with none other than Cotter Ellis of Goose — and this one goes deep. 🥁🔥 From Vermont heady snowboard spots 🏂🌲 to driving 20 minute jam peaks in front of thousands, Cotter opens up about the journey, the grind, the growth, and the surreal full circle moments that brought him from Swimmer to the Goose drum throne. They dive into: 🥁 The drummers who shaped him. Bonham swagger, Neil Peart spectacle, and the caveman genius of Jay Lane 🎶 What it actually feels like to step into Goose. Milwaukee as the fearless foursome, The Cap shows, and finding chemistry fast 🌊 The art of building a jam. How peaks happen, how instinct takes over, and why preparation lets you stop thinking and just go 🐺 Why songs like Atlas Dogs unlocked a new rhythmic lane with those tribal 12/8 grooves 🎿 Colorado love. Ski tours, jam band meccas, and why Boise randomly ripsBut this episode is not just about drums. It is about improvised music as a reflection of life itself. The gray areas. The tension. The light and the dark. The arc of a show that makes you laugh, cry, and lose your mind in the same set. 🎢✨Cotter also gets real about: 💭 Goose hate, tribal fandoms, and staying open to constructive criticism 🤝 Community over competition and why music scenes should be melting pots instead of echo chambers 🔥 Launching Cotter and Friends and bringing Swimmer homies, Kyle Hollingsworth, Andy Hall, Torrin Daniels, and more together for genre bending chaosAt its core, this episode is about passion. The kind that makes you dig deeper behind the kit, trust the moment, and chase the unknown every single night.🎧 Stream it now wherever you get your podcasts. It is thoughtful, funny, introspective, and a reminder that the best jams and the best lives happen when you stop overthinking and dive in. 🌊💥

🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi sits down with Christopher Henry (Ol’ Clunky) and bluegrass phenom Wyatt Ellis to celebrate something truly special, the release of Wyatt’s brand-new recording of “West Dakota Rose”… and the official music video dropping on YouTube the very same day this episode airs. 🌹🎻🔥 Huge shout out to Joseph Cash (Yes, that’s Johnny’s grandson) of Weeping Willow Productions in producing this amazing video. 🎥🐎🧭🥀Check it out here: ⁠https://youtu.be/mUHbBEedWag⁠For years, West Dakota Rose has taken on a life of its own, from Billy Strings performing it in Asheville three years running, to festival fields and jam circles across the country. But now, the song comes full circle: teacher and student, mentor and protégé, Jedi master and Padawan, stepping into the studio together to create a definitive new rendition. 🎶✨This episode dives into: 🌹 The origin story behind West Dakota Rose love, loss, horses, and harmonic shifts between dark and light 🎻 Wyatt’s evolution from tab-reading beginner to ear-trained improviser steeped in Monroe’s vocabulary 🔥 Recording the track live as a band twin fiddles, Kyle Tuttle on banjo, and capturing the energy in the room 🏡 Filming the official music video at Bill Monroe’s old home place blasting the tune through the same walls where bluegrass history was born 🧭 The layered artwork and symbolism, horseshoes, compass roses, and community tributes woven into the visualizer and merchThe conversation also honors the late Jack Demurjian of Red Daisy Sporting Club ☄️ whose vision and spirit helped inspire new West Dakota Rose artwork that ties together horse medicine, compass imagery, and the deeper mythology behind the tune. 🤍At its core, this episode is about legacy how songs grow beyond their writers, how mentorship becomes collaboration, and how bluegrass remains a living language passed down by ear, by heart, and by community.🎥 The official “West Dakota Rose” music video is live now on Wyatt Ellis’ YouTube channel.Special shoutout to Hayden Karnes of @DefinitelyNotLosAngeles 🎨✨ for creating the stunning album artwork, a piece that visually captures the spirit of the song with western mythology, movement, and meaning woven into every detail. Check out his artwork in a new line of WDR merch available at ⁠WyattEllis.com⁠ 🌹🎧 The single and visualizer are streaming everywhere. This isn’t just a song release. It’s a full-circle moment.

🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi and Shay welcome the chaotic, brilliant, cello-slinging string sorcerers of High Horse into the dungeon and things go from bluegrass to banjo science to Narcan policy to glizzy marketing in about 12 minutes flat. 🪕🔥😂Fresh off a high-energy Dungeon Session (yes, there was a cannon… no, they weren’t prepared), High Horse sits down to unpack how a band of Boston “massholes” with Colorado ties came together in grad school, built something wildly genre-bending, and decided to bet on themselves, no label safety net, no handbook, just vibes and unpaid labor. 📚➡️🚐➡️🎶High Horse dives into: 🎻 Why adding a strap to a cello changes everything 🪕 The lineage from Rashad Eggleston to modern percussive string chaos 🎸 Growing up around the jam-band scene in Connecticut and old-school bluegrass traditions 🏆 Winning RockyGrass competitions (yes, multiple instruments… because of course) 🎨 Designing their own posters, merch, and album art in-house 📱 The brutal reality of being your own label, booking agent, content team, and social media department 💸 Paying to tour while building an audience in new markets like Colorado 🤝 Why the merch table conversations and community moments make the grind worth itThe band also opens up about how technology has shifted the music industry giving artists more control while demanding more labor than ever before. Being in a band today means rehearsing, writing, touring, filming, editing, booking, marketing, and somehow still finding time to actually practice. 🎥📧📈And through all of it? Personality. Chaos. Humor. Deep musicianship. And a shared commitment to making music that doesn’t neatly fit a box. High Horse isn’t trying to replicate a genre they’re stitching together bluegrass roots, classical training, jam energy, and experimental textures into something that only makes sense once you see it live. ⚡🎶The episode wraps with details on their Colorado run including Chautauqua Community House (with Joy Adams & Gus Trisch), New Terrain Brewing, Society Hall in Alamosa, Cottonwood Cottage in Greeley, and Avogadro’s Number with Silas Herman. Plus: a new EP Swim Before You Fly and a live record on the way. 🚐🏔️💿At its core, this episode is about building something from scratch, embracing the chaos, and figuring out how to survive and thrive in the attention economy without losing the soul of the music.🎧 Listen now wherever you get podcasts. And if you’re in Colorado this week go see High Horse live. Trust us.

🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi sits down in the dungeon with Torrin Daniels of The Kitchen Dwellers for a powerful, wide-ranging conversation that blends music, identity, politics, mental health, and what it really means to not “shut up and sing” when the moment demands more. 🪕🔥🗣️ The episode centers around Torrin’s now-viral onstage speech at the Mission Ballroom during the Kitchen Dwellers’ Colorado run. Delivering the cherry on top moment at their biggest indoor headlining show to date. What began as a gut-level response to real-time events in Minnesota quickly became a defining moment, not just for the band, but for a scene grappling with fear, division, and silence. ⚠️🎤Torrin opens up about: 🧠 Deciding earlier that day he needed to say something and being more nervous about speaking than performing 🔥 Why using the stage felt unavoidable given the political climate and recent shootings 📍 Being in Minnesota while chaos unfolded nearby and trying to create art under an “impending sense of doom” 🛑 Why “just shut up and sing” stops making sense when people around you are scared to exist ⚖️ Coming from a ranching, gun-owning background and rejecting the false binary of values vs empathy 🗣️ The responsibility artists carry when they’ve seen the country up close, coast to coast 🧩 Why this isn’t about partisanship it’s about recognizing danger when history starts repeating itselfFrom there, the conversation widens into who Torrin is beyond the speech. He talks candidly about growing up in Wyoming and Montana, his early love of drums before banjo, discovering punk, metal, reggae, and jam music, and how those influences shaped Kitchen Dwellers into the genre-blurring, “non-bluegrass bluegrass” band they are today. 🥁➡️🪕⚡ They dive deep into: 🎸 How metal, punk, and grunge techniques inform Torrin’s banjo style 🎶 Why the band records live together to preserve feel and honesty 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Evolving as bandmates choosing unity over blame through hard seasons 🧠 Advocacy for mental health and normalizing therapy in music culture 🌱 Reaching a place where the band no longer plays “first-date shows,” but fully trusts who they are.The episode closes with a reminder that community is the antidote go to shows, buy tickets early, meet people, dance, sweat, argue, heal, and exist together. Because art only works when it’s honest, and silence only helps the wrong things grow. 🌈🤝🔥 🎧 Listen now wherever you get podcasts. This one is raw, thoughtful, challenging and a reminder that authenticity isn’t always comfortable, but it’s always necessary.

🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi and Shay welcome David Weingarden, Vice President of Z2 Entertainment, into the dungeon (virtually) for one of the most important ticketing conversations we’ve ever had — breaking down the real forces behind ticket prices, scalpers, bots, and why fans keep getting screwed. 🎟️⚠️🔥 If you’ve ever been 19,000th in a virtual queue 🧍‍♂️🧍‍♀️📉, paid triple face value for a ticket 💸😤, or accidentally bought from a fake site that looked legit, this episode explains exactly why that’s happening and who benefits from the chaos.Fresh off testifying at a U.S. Senate Commerce Committee hearing on the proposed TICKET Act, David pulls back the curtain on the ticketing ecosystem from speculative ticketing and bot armies 🤖📈 to deceptive URLs, unchecked marketplaces, and the massive lobbying power protecting the status quo. This isn’t conspiracy talk it’s documented reality. 🧾⚖️ David breaks down: 🎟️ What speculative ticketing actually is and why it should be illegal 🤖 How bots scoop tickets instantly (sometimes from overseas IPs) 🧑‍⚖️ Why enforcement, not just laws, is the missing piece 🏛️ What really happened when Colorado tried (and failed) to pass strong ticket reform 💰 How scalpers outspent independent venues 75 to 4 in lobbyists 📢 Why marketplaces claim “we’re just the platform” and why that excuse wouldn’t fly anywhere else 🏟️ How monopolistic control over venues, ticketing, promotion, and resale hurts fans and artists 🎸 Why independent venues are the ones taking the blame and the abuse for a broken systemThe conversation also zooms out to spotlight the human side of independent venues 🏠🎶 how places like the Fox Theatre, Boulder Theater, Aggie, Chautauqua, and 10 Mile don’t compete with billion-dollar corporations by throwing money around, but by treating artists and fans with real care. High-touch service, community trust, and long-term relationships are how they survive. 🤝❤️Kodi and Shay push hard on the fan perspective too, why artists sometimes take massive tour deals 💼, how perception becomes reality online 📱🔥, and why fans need better information before directing anger at venues and musicians who don’t control the resale market.At its core, this episode is about consumer protection, transparency, and collective action. This is a bipartisan issue 🟣🔵 that affects everyone who loves live music. The solution isn’t yelling into the void, it’s learning, organizing, and advocating together. 🌍🗣️🎧 Listen now wherever you get podcasts. 📣 Follow NIVA (National Independent Venue Association) 🎟️ Support independent venues 🛑 Demand fair ticketingBecause live music doesn’t survive without fans — and fans deserve better. 🎶✊

🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi and Shay welcome Alabama-born bluegrass firestarters Mountain Grass Unit (MGU) into the dungeon for a long-overdue hang that dives deep into friendship, hustle, growing pains, and what it really looks like when a band is mid–rocket ship. 🚀🪕🔥 What starts with laughs about canceled Colorado shows, tooth pain from hell 🦷😖, and internet rumors quickly turns into a full origin story — from childhood friendships and rival middle-school friend groups 😅 to rock bands, borrowed upright basses, and getting voluntold to play bluegrass before fully knowing what bluegrass even was. 🎸➡️🪕MGU opens up about: 👬 Growing up together in Alabama and building trust long before the band existed 🎶 Learning instruments the hard way through YouTube tutorials, borrowed gear, and first gigs days after touching an upright bass 🏫 Juggling college life across Berklee, ETSU, and Alabama while trying to keep a band alive from different states 📧 Cold-emailing venues, losing money on early tours, and why investing in yourself matters more than profit early on 🤝 Landing an agent and management and how that changed everything (without magically fixing everything) 🧠 The mental shift from “students who tour sometimes” to “this is the job now” 💿 Signing with Dualtone Records and heading into the studio with Vance Powell to record a new full-length album 🌍 What’s next: WinterWonderGrass, recording all of February, Australia dates, and a stacked 2026 touring calendarThe conversation also digs into MGU’s identity — how they balance traditional bluegrass roots with high-octane energy ⚡, crowd-moving covers, and a jam-friendly mindset that works just as well for seated traditionalists as it does for dancing Colorado crowds. 🕺🪑Kodi presses on merch stories (yes, the infamous khaki shirts 😬👕), slap-koozies, DIY marketing, and the band’s hilarious social media videos — showing how personality, humor, and authenticity can pull new fans in just as fast as blistering musicianship. 🎥😂At its core, this episode is about putting in the time and earning it on a long road from backyard jams to festival stages, the willingness to lose money to gain momentum, and the power of sticking together when things get uncomfortable, uncertain, or downright painful. 🌱🤝🎧 Tap in wherever you listen to podcasts. This is a must-listen if you love bluegrass, band origin stories, or catching artists right as things start to really take off. 🪕🔥

🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi sits down in the dungeon with viral artist and musician Justin Barona (Just Tat Em) for his first-ever podcast appearance — a necessary, difficult conversation that directly addresses a real controversy and the consequences that followed. The episode centers on the backlash sparked by posts shared by Justin’s wife, which circulated widely and included harmful, inflammatory references tied to Adolf Hitler and antisemitic rhetoric. The response was swift and justified: public outrage, accusations of hate speech, canceled shows, and Justin ultimately taking his Instagram offline. This conversation does not frame the situation as a misunderstanding or a matter of nuance — it acknowledges that the content was wrong, damaging, and incompatible with the message Justin presents publicly. ⚠️🛑Justin addresses the situation directly: 🚫 Making it clear the posts do not reflect his beliefs 🗣️ Acknowledging that silence and delayed response worsened the situation 📉 Accepting that accountability comes with having a platform — even when the words aren’t yours 👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 Talking honestly about how the fallout affected his family, career, and mental health 📴 Explaining why he stepped away from social media and what he learned from itFrom there, Kodi intentionally widens the lens — not to excuse what happened, but to understand the person now navigating the consequences. Justin shares his life story in full: running away from an abusive home at 12, living on the streets, incarceration at a young age, and how music, drawing, and tattooing became tools for survival and connection. 🧒➡️🎨➡️🎶 The episode also explores the pressure of sudden virality 📱🔥, the grind of producing nonstop Cameos, the strain of balancing creativity with fatherhood, and how quickly a feel-good internet narrative can unravel when personal lives intersect with public platforms. Justin speaks candidly about missteps, ego, burnout, and the need to draw firmer lines between his values and the content associated with him. At its core, this episode is about accountability without deflection. It doesn’t ask listeners to forget what happened — it asks them to understand how it happened, what was wrong about it, and what moving forward with clarity and responsibility actually looks like. 🔍⚖️🎧 Listen now wherever you get podcasts. This is a heavy, honest conversation — and one that doesn’t shy away from the reality that words, associations, and silence all have consequences.

🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi and Shay sit down with guitarist and songwriter Tom Hamilton Jr. to dive deep into his first-ever solo album under his own name, I’m Your Vampire 🩸🖤 — out January 23. This episode is all about the songs, the process, and the moment that pushed Tom to finally make this record. 🎸✨After decades of collaboration across genre-defining projects, Tom opens up about why this album had to happen now. Written during a period of massive personal change — the end of Ghost Light, his father’s illness, and choosing not to outrun grief by staying on the road — I’m Your Vampire was created by sitting still, turning inward, and letting honesty lead the way. 🖤🧠Tom breaks down: 📝 Writing songs as a way to process uncertainty, loss, and identity 🎧 Why this record needed to exist outside of any band name — no safety net, just truth 🎛️ Building the album with longtime collaborator Pete Tremont and locking in perspective with producer Alex Farrar (Asheville sessions = magic ✨) 💿 How 40+ songs became a tightly intentional tracklist 🎸 Balancing raw emotion with restraint, tone, and texture 🩸 Letting listeners bring their own meaning to the songs — without overexplaining the artThey also talk about how the album’s sound pulls from multiple worlds — hints of grunge, Americana, indie rock, and the melodic sensibility Tom is known for — while still standing firmly on songwriting first. Every choice, from sequencing to production, is rooted in intention and authenticity. 🔥🎶This episode is a rare look at what it means to start over creatively, even after years of success — and why making the record you need to make matters more than comfort or momentum. 🌱⚡🎧 Listen now wherever you get podcasts 📲 Pre-save I’m Your Vampire 🎟️ Catch Tom Hamilton Jr. on tour in 2026#WhatsTheReasonForThis #TomHamiltonJr #ImYourVampire

🎧 This episode of What’s the Reason for This? Kodi and Shay drop back into the dungeon with Tonewood String Band for a no-holds-barred, laugh-heavy, deeply honest conversation about what it really takes to make a debut full-length album — from crowdfunding stress 😅💸 to studio self-doubt 🧠😵‍💫 to finally holding the finished record in your hands 💿🙌. Fresh off the release of Heart of the Pretender, the band reflects on a nearly two-year journey 🗓️🔥 that began with a Kickstarter, rolled through 60 hours in the studio ⏱️🎛️, and ended with a record they’re genuinely proud of — scars, growth, and all 💛🌱. The conversation pulls the curtain back on the realities of modern bluegrass bands trying to level up without losing themselves in the process. 🪕⚡ The band digs into: 🎶 Why they chose to crowdfund — and how much work actually goes into a Kickstarter 💪💵 🎛️ Recording at Swingfingers Studio with Aaron Youngberg — and why working with someone who speaks bluegrass makes all the difference 🎻🎚️ ⏱️ Tracking live in isolation with click tracks, layered takes, and producer Tyler Grant steering the ship 🚦🎧 🧠 The mental battle of studio perfectionism — self-doubt, breakthroughs, and learning when to trust the take 😤➡️😌 💿 How songs evolved in unexpected ways once recorded — including tracks that nearly didn’t make the album 😳✨ 📈 Why pre-saves, singles, playlists, and algorithms matter more than fans realize 🤖📲 — and how the “waterfall release” strategy actually works 🎤 The wild contrast between sold-out theaters 🎟️🔥 and nearly empty bar gigs 🍺😅 — and how the band stays grounded through bothThe episode also shines a spotlight on the unsung hero behind Tonewood’s visual world 🌈🖌️: Silver — the band’s manager, merch wizard, and resident artist. She shares how the album artwork was inspired by the title track, Bob Dylan’s “Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts” ♠️❤️, and grew into a full playing-card theme across singles, posters, and merch — all screen-printed by hand 🖐️👕. They also revisit the band’s Kickstarter cover-song rewards 🎁🎶, where fans funded the record by commissioning custom bluegrass versions of everything from Gordon Lightfoot 🌄 to Sly & The Family Stone 🕺💃 — essentially creating a second album while finishing the first. Absolute chaos. Absolute magic. ✨🪕At its core, this episode is about commitment, community, and creative honesty 🌾🤝 — learning when to push harder 🚀, when to let go 🕊️, and how much independent music depends on fans showing up, buying merch 🛍️, pre-saving records 💾, and spreading the word 📢❤️.🎧 Tune in for the laughs 😂, stay for the real talk 🎙️, and remember: support the bands in the trenches — that’s where the magic lives. ✨🪕

🎧 This episode of What’s the Reason for This? is a little different — and a whole lot festive. Kodi and Shay coming to you from the dungeon to discuss a recent session from the newly christened Dungeon West to break down everything you need to know about the 4th Annual Jingle Jam, one of Colorado’s most beloved end-of-year bluegrass traditions. 🎄🪕✨After some legendary technical difficulties (including a lost-but-not-forgotten all-time-great interview), the hosts regroup to make sure the mission stays front and center: raising money, celebrating community, and getting everyone to this show before it sells out. 🎟️🔥The episode dives into what makes Jingle Jam so special — a scene-wide Christmas party packed with 40–50 musicians, zero repeat sets, deep-cut holiday songs, and nonstop collaborations. Taking place Saturday, December 20th at Roots Music Project in Boulder, the event brings together members of bands like Stillhouse Junkies, Deer Creek Sharpshooters, Mighty Holler, Jake Legg, Tonewood, Liver Down the River, and many more, with special guest appearances from Pete Wernick (Hot Rize) and other scene favorites. 🎶🤝Most importantly, 100% of ticket sales benefit Sister Carmen, a Boulder County nonprofit providing food, resources, and dignity to families and individuals in need. Last year alone, Jingle Jam raised over $8,000, and this year aims to do even more. 💛💪Kodi and Shay also highlight the fun chaos that defines the night — from audience-thrown “snowballs” (yes, pom-poms) ❄️😂 to outrageous holiday outfits, surprise sit-ins, and the reminder to support the venue by buying drinks and tipping bartenders. The episode closes by encouraging listeners to not only attend this year, but to get involved next year through volunteering, donating, or helping expand the event’s impact. 🌈🙌🎧 Stick around to the end of the episode for a Jingle Jam Session featuring three holiday songs that will absolutely put you in the spirit. This one is about music, generosity, and showing up for your community — exactly what the season is supposed to be about. 🎄💛

🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi and Shay sit down in the dungeon with one of the most influential architects of Colorado’s music culture — Scotty Stoughton of Bonfire Entertainment. 🌲🔥 The man behind WinterWonderGrass, Baja WonderGrass, Small Town for the Cause, river trips, and some of the most meaningful gatherings in modern roots music joins us for a deep, inspiring, wide-ranging conversation. whats-the-reason-for-thiss-stud…What starts as classic dungeon energy quickly turns into a masterclass on vision, community, risk-taking, and following your heart — from grilled-cheese-slinging Deadhead kid to festival builder, river guide, and global connector. 🌎💛Scotty opens up about: 🎶 Growing up on Dead Tour → hand drums → freestyling → sharing stages with Les Claypool, Sam Bush, and Mark Vann 🔥 Touring in the wild 90s and realizing kindness + intention can change an entire show’s energy 🏔️ Founding events like WinterWonderGrass, Snowball, and Camp Out for the Cause — and how each taught him to build culture, not just festivals 🧡 Why empathy, respect, and human connection are non-negotiable in his company ethos 🛠️ The REAL work: town councils, decibel limits, zip-tie battles, waste cleanup, pushback, and learning to stay grounded through it 🎤 Supporting emerging artists — and why some of your favorite bands got their first big moment on his side stages 🌊 Paddleboarding the Grand Canyon, discovering “river time,” and how the River WonderGrass trips became spiritual medicine during COVID 🇲🇽 How falling in love with Baja, its culture, and its healing environment led to Baja WonderGrass — not a resort event, but a community-rooted adventure 💚 Travel, discomfort, purpose, legacy, and why he believes we were never meant to be cogs in a machineAt its core, this episode is about building spaces where people feel good — whether it’s 5,000 people in Steamboat, 500 on a beach in Baja, or 25 in a canyon sharing music at sunrise. It’s about showing up with heart, lifting up the folks coming behind you, and remembering that community is the whole point. 🌈🤝🎧 Tap in now wherever you listen to podcasts. It’s inspiring, grounding, hilarious, and a reminder that the magic of this scene is something we all build together. 🫶✨#WhatsTheReasonForThis #BonfireEntertainment #WinterWonderGrass

🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi and co-host Shay hang in the dungeon with the absolute rip-roaring bluegrass crew Deer Creek Sharpshooters — fresh off their basement session and rolling deep into Colorado’s picking scene. 🪕🔥What starts as classic dungeon chaos quickly turns into a real-deal origin story: how a group of lifelong friends from the Mid-Atlantic turned a post-high-school bluegrass obsession into a no-guitar, all-gas band that’s now carving out a name in the Front Range circuit. 🏔️🎶The Sharpshooters open up about: 🏡 Growing up together back East (Maryland/Virginia/Philly energy) and catching the bluegrass bug AFTER high school — proof it’s never too late to start pickin’ 🎧 Their gateway bands: Trampled by Turtles, Old Crow, Yonder, Jeff Austin vibes — the stuff that lit the fuse 🌴 The Charleston era where it clicked: “we can actually be a band that plays venues” 🪕 Instrument origin chaos: mandolin “dibs,” banjo arm-wrestle decisions, dobro awakenings, and upright bass leap-of-faith madness 🎻 How Kay joined after an Irish-music background + moving to CO — and jumped into bluegrass headfirst 🎼 Their writing process: someone brings 80% of a song, the band builds the rest, arranging parts + solos together 📲 The grind of being artists and content creators — splitting up band “business roles” (booking, merch, marketing, accounting) so they can keep making music 💿 What’s next: building funding for a new album, plus a plan to start dropping live recordings that capture who they really are 🎪 Upcoming moves: Dec 19, 2025 at Globe Hall with Mighty Holler + Foggy Memory Boys, opening for Magoo at Bluebird in April, and festival runs like WinterWonderGrass, Palisade Bluegrass Bash, and moreAt its core, this episode is about community + commitment — the late-night festival picks, the fans who show up early for the “small names,” the merch tables that keep bands alive, and the kind of friendship that lets a group keep evolving without losing the spark. 🌈🤝🎧 Tap in now wherever you listen to podcasts. It’s loud, hilarious, heartfelt, and a reminder that bluegrass is a family sport. 🪕💛#WhatsTheReasonForThis #DeerCreekSharpshooters #Bluegrass

🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi heads back into the dungeon with guest co-host Dave and very special guest Alana Rocklin — bassist of Sound Tribe Sector Nine (STS9) — for a deep-dive into the band’s first studio record in nearly a decade, Human Dream, and the wild full-circle journey that took Alana from fan to family. 🎶✨From opening STS9’s first-ever Chicago show in 2001 🤯 to joining the band full-time in 2014, this conversation travels through origin stories, jazz discipline, improvisation philosophy, studio wizardry, touring realities in 2025, and why supporting live music matters now more than ever. Expect nerdy gear talk, big feelings, and a whole lot of love for the scene. 🙌❤️🎸 Meeting STS9 in 2001 when her band (then “All Rectangle”) opened for them, the instant connection, and becoming the first non-STS9 artist released on 1320 Records.🚐 Touring the old-school way — six-week runs in a car/van during the MapQuest era — forging friendships that eventually led her deeper into the STS9 orbit.🎓 Her jazz + improvisation foundation at the University of Michigan, how mentor Rodney Whitaker drilled the “2 & 4 metronome” method into her practice, and how it shaped her internal clock as the band’s rhythmic backbone.💿 Cross-genre session work, including recording bass for major hip-hop records (like Rick Ross’ Maybach Music 4) from her Nashville studio with charts, producer notes, and precision.🌈 Joining STS9 after Murph’s departure — the weight of stepping into a legacy, the six-week cram where she learned the top 50 tunes, and building confidence through festival sets before the massive Red Rocks initiation.🧪 How STS9 writes in real time — debuting songs live (sometimes learned minutes before stage time), letting crowds shape the music, then refining the ideas in the studio.💫 Why Human Dream became 19 tracks — a double-album born from COVID delays, evolving ideas, and a refusal to rush the creative process.🎶 Favorite Human Dream stories including: • Strange Games — reinvented after a sample didn’t clear, showing how limitations spark better art. • Big Basin — tied to the wildfire that destroyed her home, making the studio version deeply personal. • It’s All Right / Lives of Symphony & Unity — a live mutation turned studio favorite with vocals from longtime friend Maureen Murphy.🎤 The legendary 2016 choir shows (Alpharetta + Red Rocks) with huge covers like “Under Pressure” and “Get Lucky,” and why STS9 uses covers sparingly so they land as true events.🤝 A near-collab with Billy Strings, derailed by a hurricane but still destined to happen — proof of the joy in genre-crossing without rules.📣 Why studio albums matter even with endless live recordings: they’re a clean entry point for new fans and a definitive snapshot of who the band is right now.This episode is a wide-angle look at what it means to step inside a legacy — honoring the past, trusting the process, and fighting for the future of live music with your whole heart. 🌀🔥🎧 Stream now wherever you get your podcasts — and turn up Human Dream loud. Sometimes the reason is simple: keep showing up for the music and each other. 💛

🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi drops back into the dungeon with Colorado’s roots-rock homies Drunken Hearts — fresh off a live basement session and riding a big wave into their next chapter. 🎶🍻From mountain-town beginnings in Vail 🏔️ to surviving lineup shifts, loss, and the post-COVID rebuild 💥, this convo gets real about how a band keeps becoming itself over and over again. There are laughs, some heavy heart, and a whole lot of love for the road and the songs that carry it. 🙌❤️Drunken Hearts opens up about: 🎸 How the band started 15 years ago as a ski-town trio — and why the early days felt like a “powder keg” of southern rock energy 🕊️ Honoring founding drummer Ted Wells, whose passing in 2014 changed everything — and how his spirit still threads through the music 🎹 The wild, last-minute story of Tyler joining on keys in 2020 and instantly becoming essential to their sound 🎶 Writing songs in phone notes while driving, letting inspiration hit when it hits 🚗📱 🤝 Collaborating with Nashville hit-maker Dave Pahanish — including the surprise gift of a new unrecorded song, “Sacred Ground” 🔥 Their brand-new single “The Other Side” (feat. Bonnie Sims of Big Richard), recorded on the 10-year anniversary of Ted’s passing — a full-circle moment that still gives chills 🎪 What’s next: a stacked Denver show Dec 6 at Cervantes’ Other Side with Tyler Grant’s Electric Farm + Jake Legg, plus more CO winter dates 💿 The 2026 mission: record a new album, go bigger, go deeper, and keep building this thing the right wayThis episode is all about growth without forgetting the roots — the grief, the grit, the road miles, and the kind of brotherhood that keeps a band swinging through every season. 🌾⚡🎧 Stream it now wherever you listen to podcasts! Real talk, road stories, new music, and a reminder that sometimes the reason is just… don’t stop playing. 💛#WhatsTheReasonForThis #DrunkenHearts #ColoradoMusic #RootsRock #Americana #JamScene #NewSingle #TheOtherSide #Cervantes #DenverMusic #IndependentMusic #Songwriting #BandLife #HomiesHelpingHomies #MusicPodcast #BasementSessions #GoodVibesOnly

🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi sits down with the man behind one of the hottest podcasts in the jam scene — Clint Dodson of All Jammed Up! 🎶🔥From Billy Strings runs and Hulaween chaos 🎸🌀 to media passes, imposter syndrome, and the art of staying authentic,this convo dives deep into the grind, the growth, and the gratitude behind building something real. 🙌Clint opens up about: 🎙️ Turning a passion for live music into a full-blown podcast movement ☕ Editing episodes at Starbucks between shows (dedication level: MAX) 🎪 The friendships and community that make the jam scene magic 🍺 Brewing his own All Jammed Up Beer with One World Brewing in Asheville 💫 And finding balance, purpose, and love alongside his partner-in-crime, Chloe 💖This episode is all about chasing the dream without losing the why — the laughs, the burnout, the breakthroughs, and the moments that make it all worth it.🎧 Stream it now wherever you listen to podcasts! It’s real talk, good vibes, and a reminder that we’re all just out here trying to find our reason. 🌈✨#WhatsTheReasonForThis #AllJammedUp #ClintDodson #PodcastLife #JamScene #BillyStrings #Hulaween #AshevilleMusic #LeftoverSalmon #Bluegrass #JamGrass #MusicPodcast #HomiesHelpingHomies #Authenticity #GoodVibesOnly

🎙️ This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi and Shay sit down with one of the most beloved pickers in the jamgrass world — Andy Thorn of Leftover Salmon! 🎶You might know him as the banjo-slinging wizard who went viral for serenading a fox 🦊 outside his home in the Colorado hills… but there’s so much more to Andy’s story than that one magical moment.From his bluegrass roots in North Carolina 🎻 to earning a degree in jazz guitar 🎸 (because, yep — there wasn’t a banjo program back then), Andy’s path to becoming one of the most respected players in modern bluegrass is a story of grit, heart, and pure love of the music.He talks about: 🌄 What drew him out west to Colorado — and how the mountain scene and community completely changed his life. 🎸 The wild journey from playing small college jams to joining Leftover Salmon, one of the most iconic jamgrass bands ever. 🥁 What it’s like to go from bluegrass purity to plugged-in, full-band chaos with drums, keys, and amps turned to 11. 🦊 The day a curious fox wandered up mid-banjo session — and how that viral video became a global feel-good story during COVID. 👶 Being a full-time dad AND full-time touring musician (spoiler: no naps, lots of caffeine ☕). 🎧 Recording his latest solo album at home, surrounded by instruments, baby toys, and sunrise views — featuring friends like Tyler Grant, Greg Garrison, and Eric Deutsch of The Black Crowes. 🎶 Why “music should be fun” — and how bluegrass still feels like a tight-knit family of friends who just want to jam and lift each other up.The guys also dig into the evolution of Leftover Salmon, the Colorado bluegrass scene, and how the next generation — bands like The Fretliners, Arkansauce, and Tonewood String Band — are keeping the fire alive 🔥.Andy reflects on teaching at RockyGrass Academy, passing along his skills to the next wave of pickers, and what it means to see bluegrass finally becoming “cool” again with younger fans. 🙌It’s one of the most genuine, funny, and inspiring convos we’ve had yet — packed with stories from the road, dad-life humor, and a reminder that no matter how big the stage gets, it’s all about the music, the people, and the pick. 💙🎧 Stream “The Andy Thorn Episode” now on What’s the Reason for This? — available wherever you get your podcasts.👉 Hit play, laugh a little, and maybe even go pick up that old instrument again. Because as Andy says: “Music should be fun — that’s the whole point.” 🎵✨#WhatsTheReasonForThis #Podcast #AndyThorn #LeftoverSalmon #JamGrass #Bluegrass #ColoradoMusic #BillyStrings #Banjo #MusicPodcast #MusicianLife #PodcastCommunity #MusicLovers #FoxGuy #BanjoLife #BluegrassFamily #WTRFT

This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi sits down with the legendary Matt Mundy — the mandolin master whose innovative style helped shape the sound of the Aquarium Rescue Unit and the jamgrass movement that followed. From growing up in a bluegrass family in the deep South to jamming with icons like Béla Fleck, Sam Bush, and Oteil Burbridge, Matt takes us on a journey through decades of music, humility, and rediscovery.Matt opens up about being “born into bluegrass,” learning from his mom and uncle, and finding his own voice on the mandolin after realizing the fiddle just wasn’t for him. He shares stories from his early gigs, turning down high school homecoming for a gig that changed his life, and his wild ride with Bruce Hampton’s ARU—including van mishaps, chaotic tours, and the legendary live album that still inspires jam fans today.We dig into his decision to walk away from music at the height of his success, selling all his instruments, and how—ten years later—the spark to play came back stronger than ever. Now, Matt’s full circle moment shines through in his new album, “Many Ways Home”, featuring collaborations with longtime friends and family, including his mother Frances Mooney and drummer Jeff Sipe. It’s a record that blends bluegrass, jazz, and pure soul—just like his story.Whether you’re a diehard Widespread Panic fan, a bluegrass purist, or someone who just loves a good comeback story, this episode hits every note.🎧 Listen now to hear Matt’s reflections on fame, friendship, and finding joy in the music again. 📀 “Many Ways Home” is available everywhere you stream music.

🎙️ Kodi flies solo this week for a deep-dive conversation with guitarist, gear wizard, and Jerry Tone Store founder Jay Faires — a man on a mission to decode the electric alchemy behind Jerry Garcia’s legendary sound. From growing up jamming bluegrass in Tennessee to reverse-engineering vintage amps and building a tone empire online, Jay’s story hits every note of obsession, discovery, and pure love of music.🎸 This episode explores the intersection of curiosity and creativity — how chasing tone can become its own form of art, and why the spirit of Jerry still hums in every note of the jam scene today.💬 Highlights include: ⚡ Jay’s childhood jam sessions with his taper dad — and how improvisation shaped his musical DNA. 🎶 The evolution from reluctant bluegrass picker to tone-obsessed guitarist and gear entrepreneur. 🧰 A crash course in the science of signal flow, the “buffer” that changed everything, and why Jerry’s quest for sonic perfection was pure wizardry. 🎛️ The inside story of Waldotronics — the unsung hero behind some of the most accurate Garcia tone recreations today. 🔥 The origin story of Jerry Tone Store: from pandemic tinkering to viral TikToks and a full-blown business built by passion. 🌈 Reflections on authenticity, artistic identity, and how finding “your sound” can reconnect you with the joy of playing. 💡 Plus: gear talk, tone talk, and the spiritual weirdness that happens when music, science, and soul all line up.🎧 Tune in for a journey through tone, tech, and timeless inspiration — from the Grateful Dead’s sonic legacy to the next generation of guitar dreamers keeping that fire alive.

Kodi & Shay (well, just Kodi this week!) sit down with legendary rock critic and Lou Reed biographer Anthony DeCurtis for an electric conversation that spans decades of music history — from the British Invasion to bluegrass revival, jam bands, and what keeps great music timeless.🎸 This episode dives deep into how music shapes culture, community, and identity — and why open-mindedness might be the most rock ’n’ roll thing of all.💬 Highlights include: 🎤 Anthony’s firsthand memories of the Beatles’ arrival and the raw rebellion of the Rolling Stones. 🎶 Stories from Greenwich Village’s heyday — when magazine stands and record shops were gateways to discovery. 🌈 The Grateful Dead’s rise from free shows in Central Park to cultural icons — and how the “jam band” ethos built a whole new musical ecosystem. 🤘 A deep dive into Billy Strings’ genre-bending brilliance, authenticity, and how he’s redefining what bluegrass can be. 🏙️ Reflections on Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run sessions — chaos, courage, and the beauty of creating without a rulebook. 🧠 From Plato to pop hooks — why music bypasses intellect and speaks straight to the soul. 💡 Anthony’s challenge to listeners: stay curious, stay open, and never stop finding new sounds that move you.🎧 Tune in for stories that bridge eras, genres, and generations — from Rolling Stone magazine to the jamgrass scene.

Kodi & Shay sit down with Larry Keel — two-time Telluride Flatpicking Champion, bluegrass legend, and all-around mountain soul — for a deep dive into 🎸 roots, reinvention, and finding your center after 30+ years on the road.☕ The guys kick things off with a caffeine-fueled chat before diving into Larry’s Virginia upbringing — where a banjo-picking dad, a musical brother, and a tight-knit Appalachian community helped forge one of bluegrass’s most distinctive pickers.🎶 Larry opens up about: 🌄 How growing up in the mountains shaped his songwriting and worldview. 🎸 Crafting a unique sound that blends bluegrass, reggae, jazz, and psychedelic grooves — all without losing his soul. 🧠 The long road to “finding his own voice” after years of mimicking Tony Rice, and why individuality is everything in music. 💿 Writing with Tim O’Brien, Peter Rowan, and Jeremy Garrett (yep, that new Stringdusters track!), plus Del McCoury recording one of his songs now up for Grammy consideration. ❤️ His 30-year musical (and real-life) partnership with his wife, Jenny Keel — who learned bass just to play by his side. 🎸 The new duo album with John Stickley, featuring tributes to Jeff Austin and stripped-down, two-guitar magic.🌌 Larry also gets real about the grind of touring, the business behind the art, and how gardening, fishing, and staying centered keep him grounded in a noisy world.🎧 Highlights you don’t want to miss: 🎵 How he sneaks Bill Monroe licks into reggae tunes (because, why not?). 💬 The legacy of Jeff Austin and how his energy still inspires every note. 🔥 Electric Larry Land — his psychedelic, free-flowing side project that melts faces and opens minds. 🌱 The balance between hard work, heart work, and homegrown tomatoes.💬 “If something doesn’t grow, it dies,” Larry says — and after this conversation, you’ll understand how he’s kept his music thriving while helping evolve the entire jamgrass scene.🎧 Tune in for stories, laughs, and the kind of wisdom that only comes from a lifetime of picking, planting, and pushing musical boundaries.👉 Follow Larry at LarryKeel.com and stream the new Stickley & Keel album everywhere now — or better yet, buy the record, hit a show, and help keep this legend on the river. 🎣🎵

Kodi & Shay sit down with Luciya and Soraya Sullivan — The Sullivan Sisters — for a deep dive into 🎶 bluegrass beginnings, sisterhood, and the journey from backyard jams to record deals.👩‍🎤 The duo joins from opposite coasts — Soraya calling in from Berklee College of Music in Boston and Luciya from her senior year of high school in Evanston, IL — proving that talent has no age limit.🏆 From their early start in North Carolina to taking first at RockyGrass (Luciya making history as the festival’s first female banjo champ!) and signing with Dark Shadow Recording, the sisters open up about growing up musical in a non-bluegrass family, finding their community, and keeping their roots strong in a city not exactly known for pickin’ circles.🎶 Highlights include: 🪕 How their mom’s love for O Brother, Where Art Thou inspired their musical path. 🎓 Balancing high school and Berklee classes with touring, recording, and competitions. 🎤 Soraya on developing powerhouse vocals and finding her own voice as a songwriter. 🎵 The making of their debut EP Carolina Bluebird — two originals, two iconic covers, and a whole lot of heart. 💿 The story behind their brand-new record deal (signed at IBMA in Chattanooga!). 🎸 Luciya’s jaw-dropping win at RockyGrass and why she just can’t stop buying banjos. 🤘 And yes — the Katy Perry bluegrass cover we all need might just be on the horizon.💬 From social media virality (including a fan encounter at a random South Dakota gas station 😱) to staying humble, hopeful, and hilariously grounded, this episode captures the magic of two sisters blazing their trail through the next generation of bluegrass.🎧 Tune in for laughs, inspiration, and serious pickin’ power. 👉 Follow The Sullivan Sisters everywhere @SullivanSistersBluegrass and stream Carolina Bluebird now!

After a brief delay we are back! 💪 Grab your megaphone and a stein of Breck Brew 📣🍺 because things get loud and bluegrassy at Oktoberfest in Littleton! This chaotic, hilarious, and heartwarming episode dives deep with Silas Herman (yes, Vince Herman’s kid!) and The Tone Unit as they talk about music, fatherhood, train songs, and why the bassist never gets to solo.We’ve got fiddle stories, dad wisdom, band chemistry, and more “you can’t say that on mic” moments than a live mic should allow. From ghosted DMs 🎻 to mandolin therapy sessions 💆‍♂️, this one’s got all the Colorado bluegrass vibes with a splash of chaos and a chug of beer foam.🍼 Bluegrass Baby Boom: Silas is becoming a dad while starting a band—what could go wrong?🎶 The Tone Unit Origin Story: Born from jams, ghosted messages, and the Colorado bluegrass scene’s finest.🪕 Train Songs Are a Lifestyle: Nobody knows why we’re obsessed—but we are. Choo choo. 🚂🎻 Fiddle Philosophy: Carson warns us: don’t pick up a violin unless you enjoy ergonomic nightmares.🧘 Band Zen: Keep your jams fresh—mix up your crowd, your chords, and your breweries.💀 Bass Player Problems: “You can’t please Matt.” (Unless you pay him. 💸)🤘 Festival Dreams: Catch The Tone Unit lighting up stages from Colorado to who-knows-where next summer.Big love to Silas Herman & The Tone Unit for the laughs, the tunes, and the train whistles 🚂. If you had half as much fun listening as we did recording, go hit follow, share it with a friend, and we’ll see you next time — probably hungover, definitely happy. Cheers, y’all! 🍻”

After a month-long hiatus (thanks to a full-on cyberattack 💻🔥), What’s the Reason for This? is BACK with Kodi & Shay in rare form. From losing their YouTube channel and email to clocking 3.6 MILLION views in 30 days 🚀, this episode is equal parts chaos, comedy, and comeback story. You’ll hear about: ✨ The hack that almost shut everything down 🤘 Why Billy Strings fans are pushing for bluegrass circle pits 😂 Shay getting mistaken for Tom Segura on a plane 🎶 Magoo’s rise, giveaways, and why Kodi is demanding a bluegrass Mariah Carey Christmas cover This one is messy, raw, hilarious, and 💯 heart — proof you can’t keep WTRFT down.

This week, Kodi and Shay welcome banjo powerhouse and IBMA Songwriter of the Year nominee, Brenna MacMillan. From her Kentucky roots to her Nashville grind, Brenna’s journey blends tradition, resilience, and artistry in unexpected ways.She opens up about:✈️ Touring the world (including an international festival in Tunisia) and why musicians really get a “bathroom tour” more than sightseeing.🎶 Picking up the banjo at age nine thanks to her “Pappy,” growing up in a harmony-filled family of singers, and rediscovering music in college after pursuing dentistry and chemistry.🌿 Working as a chemist in a cannabis lab while secretly writing songs that would later fuel her acclaimed debut album.💡 Her creative process—why 60% of her songs come from vivid dreams—and how vulnerability, despair, and healing turn into powerful lyrics that connect deeply with listeners.🤝 Collaborating with heroes like Sarah Jarosz, Ronnie McCoury, and Peter Rowan, and how the Nashville community helps dreams become reality.Brenna also shares her excitement for what’s next—touring her new album, songwriting inspired by both waking life and dreams, and balancing her solo career with tour-managing East Nash Grass.🔗 Find her music, tour dates, and official links at BrennaMcMillan.com

This week, Kodi & Shay sit down with Jeremy Garrett of The Infamous Stringdusters for a deep dive into 🎶 bluegrass roots, jamgrass evolution, and the art of pushing boundaries.👴 The guys kick things off with some “this is 40” aches & pains before Jeremy reminds them he just turned 50 and is still raging harder than ever.🎼 From teaching at RockyGrass Camp with his daughter to sharing the story of his one-of-a-kind 1914 Hagberg fiddle (that once survived being tossed down an airport ramp 😱), Jeremy takes us through his journey of family legacy, instrument history, and life on the road.🌍 He shares the pivotal moments that shaped The Stringdusters — from freelancing in Nashville, to their wild European festival breakthrough, to becoming jamgrass pioneers who helped bridge traditional bluegrass with the jam-scene crowd.🎧 Jeremy also opens up about:✍️ Writing thousands of songs & balancing band life with a passionate solo career.🏔️ Recording his latest solo album from a cabin on Storm Mountain — blending isolation, grit, and heart into every track.🎶 Why covers (from Avicii to Ozzy) aren’t just fun, but an entry point for new fans into bluegrass.🪕 Collaborating with world-class players like Ryan Cavanaugh and harmonizing with Lindsay Lou.💿 Plus, Jeremy drops details on his new vinyl release and upcoming Colorado shows, reminding fans to grab an extra-special bonus track when they order directly from his site.If you love bluegrass, jamgrass, or just stories of chasing your art at full throttle, this episode hits all the right notes. 🎵🔥👉 Tune in, share with a friend, and don’t miss your chance to see Jeremy live — this one’s for the music lovers and the lifers.

🎙️ Season 2 Kicks Off with a Bang! 💥🚀🎨✍️No more excuses, b*tches — Season 2 of What’s the Reason for This? is officially here! 🎉 After cranking out 60+ episodes last year, we’re back, rearranged, upgraded 🔧🎛️, and ready to cause even more podcast chaos.To kick things off, we brought back fan-favorite artist Owen Murphy (One Drop Design) 👨‍🎨. From poster walls to live painting at Red Rocks 🎶🎨, Owen’s been full throttle since his last visit — and this convo proves it.Inside this season opener you’ll get:🖌️ Stories of painting in front of a wild crowd (while everyone else is three beers deep 🍺).👨‍👦 The scoop on Owen’s new “Me & Dad” art show debuting during Billy Strings’ Halloween throwdown 🎻.🛹 How a Sector 9 skateboard dream became real — and why Owen’s afraid to ride his own deck 😂.🧠 A raw chat on mental health, sobriety, and telling critics: “you’re mid.” 😎And of course, it wouldn’t be What’s the Reason for This? without side tangents about spelling “amphitheater,” rage-baiting on socials 📱🔥, and even toe trauma (don’t ask 🦶🤢).Season 2 starts NOW, and we’re coming in hot. Buckle up, weirdos. 🤘🎧👨‍🎨 Connect with Owen Murphy:🔗 Instagram: @onedropdesign📘 Facebook: One Drop Design Studio👥 Facebook Group: The Oddballs👴 Don't forget to follow his Dad: @krmurphyart#WhatsTheReasonForThis #BillyStrings #OwenMurphy #OneDropDesign #Podcast #PodcastLife #Season2Podcast #FunnyPodcast #ArtistInterview #CreativePodcast #ConcertPosters #GigPosters #PosterArt #RockPosterArt #PsychedelicArt #SkateboardArt #LivePainting #BillyStringsHalloween #RedRocks #JamBand #Bluegrass #Jamgrass #FestivalLife #RockPosterSociety #TRPS #SobrietyJourney #MentalHealth #Creativity #IndependentArtist #ArtCommunity #SocialMediaTrolls #RageBait

In this banjo-fueled episode of What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi chats with the one-and-only Béla Fleck 🪕✨ — a living legend who has reinvented bluegrass, jazz, classical, and everything in between.Here’s what you’ll hear:🎶 New Grass Revival origins → the misunderstood meaning of “newgrass” and how it shaped a generation 🌱🎵🪕 Béla’s musical curiosity → blending bluegrass with jazz 🎷, Celtic 🎻, classical 🎼, and even Shakira’s rhythms 💃🔄 Constant reinvention → from traditional roots to the adventurous Béla Fleck Beat Trio 🥁🎸🌍 Collaborations across cultures → finding freshness by stepping into new musical worlds 🌏✨💡 Wisdom for musicians → stay humble 🙏, embrace mistakes 🤷, keep experimenting 🔥, and always find your own voice 🎤Béla reminds us that music is a living conversation — passed around, reinterpreted, and made new every time 🎶➡️🎶. Even as a Mount Rushmore figure of the banjo ⛰🪕, he’s still chasing curiosity, inspiration, and the joy of discovery. 🌟

In this special RockyGrass episode, we sit down with Steve Szymanski, co-founder of Planet Bluegrass, the visionary behind Telluride Bluegrass, Folks Fest, and RockyGrass. Steve shares how a chance encounter in the late ’80s led him into the bluegrass world and eventually to shaping the thriving festival culture we know today.We dive into:🌱 The Origin Story – How a struggling festival and a meeting on the streets of Boulder sparked the creation of Planet Bluegrass.🏔️ Building RockyGrass – From dusty fairgrounds and zoning battles to establishing Lyons, CO as a year-round home for music.🎶 Balancing Tradition & Evolution – The delicate art of honoring bluegrass purists while embracing adventurous sounds and adjacent genres.👥 Community & Family – Why these festivals are more than music—they’re spaces where friendships, collaborations, and lifelong memories are made.🎸 Legends & Innovation – Stories of artists like Tim O’Brien, Peter Rowan, and new-generation bands carrying the torch forward.Steve also reflects on the importance of volunteers, fans, and keeping the culture alive for future generations. From “tarp runs” to family jams, this episode captures the heart of what makes Planet Bluegrass a cornerstone of the Americana music scene.Whether you’re a festival veteran or a first-time listener, this conversation is a reminder of why these gatherings are sacred spaces for artists and fans alike.

Live from RockyGrass in Lyons, Colorado 🌲🎶, we’re taking you behind the curtain of the festival magic! Instead of spotlighting just the bands, this episode dives deep into the unsung heroes—the stagehands, volunteers, and the tight-knit crew that makes the music flow seamlessly.Our guest, Eric Abramson 👷‍♂️🎛️, shares stories from his dual life as a firefighter 🚒 and stagehand ninja 🥷, weaving together tales of precision, chaos, and community. From swapping basses on the fly 🎸, to wrangling stage plots 📋, to creating that family-first vibe at both Telluride and RockyGrass—Eric gives us the inside scoop.We wander through decades of bluegrass history 📜, shenanigans at Camp Outing 🍻🥓, and how bands like Leftover Salmon and Jerry Garcia’s projects shaped the scene 🎵. Eric reminds us that festivals aren’t just about the music—they’re about the people, the culture, and the feedback loop 🔄 between artists, crews, and fans.✨ From late-night campground jams 🔥🎻 to tarp-run madness 🏃‍♂️🪑, to sustainability efforts 🌎💧, this episode celebrates the spirit of community that keeps bluegrass thriving after 50+ years.👂 Tune in for stories of resilience, tradition, and heart—and don’t forget: next time you see a volunteer or crew member in black, thank them! 🙏

This week on What’s the Reason for This? we’re riverside at RockyGrass in Lyons, CO with mandolin ripper Seth Mulder of Midnight Run! 🌲🎶From growing up in North Dakota (not exactly a bluegrass hotbed 🤠) to leading a house band in Gatlinburg, Seth’s story is all about chasing sound, building community, and finding his voice on stage. He shares:✨ The moment Del McCoury shook his hand as a teen — and how it changed everything. 🎻 Starting on violin, switching to fiddle, and discovering the mandolin by accident. 🔥 How playing 5 hours a day, 6 days a week in Tennessee forged his chops. 🎩 The chemistry and evolution of Midnight Run’s current lineup. 💿 Dropping their new record Coming on Strong on Rebel Records — produced by legends Ken Irwin & Dudley Connell. 🚐 Life on the road, staying sane in the grind, and why supporting local music matters more than ever.It’s tradition meets edge — a band sharp in suits but wild on stage. 🎩🎸 This convo is packed with laughs, inspiration, and reminders that one small moment (or one hand-shake with a legend 🙌) can set a whole life in motion.👉 Follow Midnight Run Bluegrass on socials, grab the record, and catch them on tour. Support the homies — because great music doesn’t move unless we do! 💙

Live from Lyons, CO, we planted ourselves in the heart of RockyGrass to chat with the absolute barn-burners of Cane Mill Road—and folks, these boys didn’t just blow the roof off… they power-washed it, repainted it Hi-Viz yellow, slapped a dome-swap hat on it, and then crowd-surfed it into the next county. 🧢⚡We dive headfirst into the glorious chaos, covering everything from viral Wook Fame (yep, Costco run-ins and airport “chair guy” sightings included) to their Halloween plan of dressing as Béla Fleck & the New Grass Revival—full Japan tour regalia and all. 🎃🎶 Along the way, they share:Liam’s wholesome Doc Watson–inspired start in Deep Gap, NC 🎸Why East Tennessee State might secretly be the Hogwarts of Bluegrass 🪄🪕How not rehearsing (but living together) can make you tighter than a fresh banjo head 🥁Easter eggs in their live sets, from Ozzy riffs to Allman Brothers jams 🤘🍑The importance of listening—both musically and when your bandmate signals “time to shred” with a lick 🎯And the ongoing mystery of their missing guitarist, possibly lost in a Google Drive folder 📂🔍We get into their recording process—part studio wizardry, part “jam it till it sticks”—and why the next album is shaping up to sound as unhinged (in the best way) as their live shows. Spoiler: there’s still one last banjo part to record, but 40 days on the road might just delay that… thanks to side quests, camping chaos, and occasional Boy Scout flashbacks. ⛺🔥Whether you’re a diehard jamgrass junkie, a casual festival hopper, or just here for the Bears–Packers trash talk 🏈💥, this one will have you grinning like a mandolin player with perfect fret buzz.🚐 Tour’s just starting. Energy’s high. Socks are questionable. 📀 New album coming… as soon as they stop making the crowd lose its collective mind.

In this episode of What’s the Reason for This?, we’re backstage at RockyGrass with Slay & Stinson—one of the three finalists in this year’s definitely-not-amateur Amateur Band Contest! 🎻🔥 These Colorado-based bluegrass rockers aren’t strangers to the stage, and host Kodi dives deep into their journey from Telluride pick-up band to RockyGrass contenders. THIS INTERVIEW WAS COMPLETED BEFORE THEY WON THE 2025 BAND CONTEST!!!!🎶 Highlights include:🪕 How a one-off Telluride band evolved into a powerhouse group with 13+ original tracks on all major platforms🏔️ What it’s really like competing in Colorado’s biggest band contests and the differences between Telluride and RockyGrass🎻 How weekly residencies in Denver (190+ shows!) shaped their sound and gave them the edge on stage🧠 Bass player love 💪 – Why Chubb’s addition to the group completely transformed their vibe💡 How Carson (the newest member) brings fresh, non-traditional bluegrass influence to the band💰 The real cost of chasing the bluegrass dream—and why they’d pay to play it all over againFrom stage fright to telepathic transitions, the band opens up about the energy, pressure, and community that defines Planet Bluegrass culture. You’ll hear why original music matters, how weekly shows make magic, and why Colorado might be the greatest place in the world to grow a bluegrass band.💿 Catch their album “Product of Colorado” on Spotify, iTunes, and more. 📍 See them live every Wednesday at Seven Grand in Denver. 🌱 Follow their journey to festival greatness—because next year, they are the ones opening RockyGrass!🎧 Tune in, cheer them on, and remember: even the “amateur” stage is filled with pros. #SupportLocalMusic #RockyGrass2025 #SlayAndStinson #BluegrassLives

Strap in, folks—we’re going Off the Rails in the best way possible 🚂💥! Recorded backstage at the legendary RockyGrass Festival in Lyons, CO 🎶⛰️, this episode is a wild ride with the 2024 Amateur Band Contest Champions, Off the Rails 🏆🔥.From alien-level banjo skills 🛸🪕 (yep, Frank has the visa to prove it 🇨🇦➡️🇺🇸), to porta-potty QR code pranks 🚽🤳, dubstep remixes 🎧⚡, and teaching kids Appalachian music 🎒🎻, this isn’t your average bluegrass interview.🎧 Episode Highlights:🤪 Backstage Shenanigans: Wizards 🧙‍♂️, lizards 🦎, and flamingo hats 🦩—just another day at RockyGrass🥇 Winning the Contest: One mic 🎙️, three-song sets 🎵, and full-on choreography 💃🕺🎶 Genre-Bending Goodness: A Chattahoochee ➡️ Shakedown Street ➡️ Trad medley? Yup. Mind = Blown 🤯👦 Inspiring the Next Gen: One kid watched them rehearse, then watched them win—goosebumps moment 🥹💫📚 Giving Back: JAM (Junior Appalachian Musicians) is preserving tradition while lighting up young hearts 🧡🎻🔥 Recording News: Collabs with Vince & Silas Herman 🎤👨‍👦, live EPs coming soon 🎛️, and maybe a banjo version of Iron Man?! 🦾🤡 Festival Pranks: From porta-john websites to redneck dubstep, it’s full chaos (and full love) ❤️😂🎟️ See 'Em Live: Off the Rails is on a Colorado run—Evergreen, Boulder, Golden, Denver, and more! 🗺️📅 📲 Follow @officialofftherails to keep up with their shows, music, and madness 💥Whether you’re a die-hard bluegrass fan 🎼, a wandering festie 🌞🕺, or just here for the porta-john gossip 🚻😂—this episode is guaranteed to leave you inspired, laughing, and craving live music 🎤💫👇 Hit play and get ready to go Off the Rails! 🚂💨

In this heartfelt and high-energy episode, we’re joined backstage at 🎻 RockyGrass by the sensational fiddle phenom Bronwyn Keith-Hynes—just hours before she takes the stage for the final 🎤 show with Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway. 😢 But don’t cry yet—this is just the end of one chapter 📖 and the start of a thrilling solo adventure 🌟.🔥 Episode Highlights:🎶 Golden Goodbye: Bronwyn reflects on 3.5 years of nonstop touring 🚌, deep friendships, and what it means to say goodbye to a band that’s become family ❤️‍🩹✨ Solo Spark: How weekly shows at Dee’s in Nashville lit the 🔥 for her to step into the spotlight and explore her own voice 🎤🎻🧠 Creative Shift: From sidestage fiddler to full-on bandleader 🎙️—Bronwyn talks about lyric-writing at midnight 🌙, managing a rotating band, and finding her sound 🧩💕 Life & Love: Touring and jamming with her husband Jason Carter 💑🎻 (when they’re not running in opposite directions!)🪕 From Suzuki to Stage: The childhood buskers 🎶 that inspired her, classical training 🎼, and how Celtic fiddling gave her groove 💃🌲 Festival Feels: Why RockyGrass is one of the most magical places to perform ✨—and how the next generation of pickers is already catching the spark 🔥🎶Whether you're a diehard bluegrass fan 💙, a creative soul ✍️, or just vibing with the festival life 🎪—this one’s for you.📍 Catch Bronwyn on tour this fall 📱 Follow @BronwynKeithHynes 🌐 bronwynkeithhynes.com🎧 Listen or Watch now wherever you get your podcasts! 🔊💥

In this jam-packed episode, we’re coming to you live from backstage at RockyGrass with two of the most dynamic forces in modern bluegrass—Harry and Cory of East Nash Grass. From fanboy moments to mandolin heroes, this candid convo dives deep into the heart of the music, the madness of touring, and the magic of festivals like RockyGrass.🎶 Episode Highlights:🪕 Banjo Beginnings & Mandolin Magic: Hear how Cory and Harry each found their musical footing—from childhood jams to Chuck Hicks and Ricky Skaggs.🎤 Festival Favorites: The boys recall their epic sit-ins with Sierra Hull, Billy Strings, and Béla Fleck—and the nerves that come with sharing stages with bluegrass legends.🧠 Imposter Syndrome & Humility: What it's like to meet your heroes... and then become someone else's.🎧 New Music Vibes: The creative process behind their upcoming album (dropping August 22!) and their side project with Christian Ward.🐟 Creek Freak Chronicles: Cory’s new hobby of smallmouth bass fishing and Harry’s culinary adventures on tour—including redfish in New Orleans and a bold anti-brunch stance.🍖 Rick’s Custom Meats & Country Boy Cubans: Yes, we’re serious—and yes, we’re hungry now.🎵 What’s in the Van Playlist?: From Robert Earl Keen and Mac DeMarco to hard bop jazz and red dirt roots, find out what fuels East Nash Grass on the road.🌺 Bluegrass from Hawaii? Spam musubi, slack key, and musical bridges from island to mainland.Get ready for laughs, deep dives, and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes this band a rising staple in the modern bluegrass scene. As always, expect wild stories, musical nerd-outs, and a few spicy food takes.🎧 New album out August 22 📲 Follow them @eastnashgrass 💸 Venmo ‘em if you’re feelin’ generous 😎

Kodi and Shay welcome Boulder-based bluegrass powerhouse Mighty Holler into the Dungeon for an episode packed with laughs, stories, and serious music insight. The band opens up about their origin story, how Colorado’s thriving jam community brought them together, and the journey that led to their debut single Fresh Tracks in the Snow.From clawhammer banjo and mandolin chops to songwriting at 3 a.m. and running a women’s jam that’s empowering new musicians, Mighty Holler shares how passion, practice, and community have shaped their sound. The conversation dives into building band chemistry as couples, overcoming the early jitters of playing in public, and the mentors and musical icons who helped inspire their path.Plus: RockyGrass stories, instrument nerdery (bassists finally get their due 👏), and a ton of real talk about the hustle, heart, and humor it takes to build a band from the ground up.✨ Episode Highlights:🌲 The Colorado jam scene that sparked Mighty Holler’s creation (and why women’s jams matter)🎼 Learning clawhammer banjo during lockdown & blending old-time with bluegrass🎤 Writing vulnerable lyrics and building a strong band dynamic🎻 Tips for breaking into jam circles and building confidence as a musician🎶 Playing 100 gigs in 2025 and what’s next for Mighty Holler👉 Follow Mighty Holler: mightyholler.com | Instagram & Facebook @Mighty_Holler 👉 Stream their debut single Fresh Tracks in the Snow on all platforms.

🚨 It’s release day, y’all! Spencer Hatcher just dropped his brand-new single “When She Calls Me Cowboy” 🐎🤠🎸🔥—and he’s hanging out in the studio with us to spill all the behind-the-scenes tea. We talk about the song, the emotion behind it, and the cinematic music video 🎥 dropping soon. This one hits hard—whether you're the cowboy... or the one who let him ride away.But the new single is just the tip of the cowboy hat. 🤠From Christmas caroling with Grandma 🎄👵🏻 to torching banjo solos with The Hatcher Boys 🎻🔥, Spencer shares how his journey took him from small-town Shenandoah Valley to viral stardom—where one TikTok cover of “Folsom Prison Blues” 🚔💥 launched a whole new career.We get into the hustle, the heartbreaks, the hilarious dirt bike videos 🐶🏍️, and why Spencer is unapologetically himself—on stage, on camera, and on social media.✨ Episode Highlights:🐴 New Music Drop! — The story and soul behind “When She Calls Me Cowboy” and what it means to Spencer🎶 From Basement Jams to Big Stages — Learning harmony by ear, playing with Dad, and loving every second of it📲 The Viral Moment — How a 24-follower TikTok account exploded to 10K overnight after one Johnny Cash cover🍕 First Country Show Ever — No setlist, no plan... just pizza, panic, and pure passion🧡 Fan First Philosophy — No autotune. No egos. Just handshakes, real talk, and real talentWhether you’ve been following Spencer for years or you’re just hopping on the Hatcher train 🚂—this episode is packed with stories, laughs, and the kind of heart you don’t find in auto-tuned pop country.🎧 Press play, stream “When She Calls Me Cowboy,” and get to know the guy behind the six-string, the skits, and the cowboy charm. 🤠❤️🎙️

This ain’t your grandpa’s bluegrass episode (unless your grandpa drinks yerba maté and rips mandolin licks). In this full-throttle follow-up interview, The Pickpockets return to the dungeon to talk band origin stories, life on the road, awkward moments with confetti cannons, and how Salt Lake City became a surprisingly badass bluegrass hub.🚐 Road trip chaos? Check. 🎻 Fiddle-to-violin confusion? Cleared up. 📀 New music? In the works. 🤘 Raccoon-based origin story? Absolutely.From learning classical violin in Indiana to shredding mandolin in the Rockies, the band unpacks their wildly different musical roots and how bluegrass became their common ground. They dive into songwriting, gigging across Utah and Colorado, and the hilariously real-life evolution of their song "Sweet Dakota," inspired by West Dakota Rose (and a little drunken jam session magic).🔥 Highlights include:The Draper Speedball (a Utah-specific cocktail of yerba maté + Michelob Ultra)How Jake’s electric/acoustic Franken-guitar was sacrificed for toneBanter on Billy Strings, Tool, reggae-grass dreams, and Slipknot covers 🤘Their gratitude to Top Hat Crew for capturing their live shows on archive.org🎶 Whether you're a fan of traditional pickin’ or jammy twists, The Pickpockets show why they’re on the rise—and why Salt Lake just might be the next big thing in bluegrass.👉 Follow the band on Instagram @ThePickpocketsBluegrass, check their live sets on archive.org, and catch ‘em on tour this summer from Tahoe to Crested Butte.Cue the raccoons and roll the confetti—this is one for the books.

Welcome back to the dungeon for another electric episode of What’s The Reason For This Session?, featuring a rowdy and rootsy live set from The Pickpockets, straight outta Salt Lake City (and maybe just barely released from the church 😏). With their foot-stomping fusion of bluegrass soul, jammed-out grooves, and heart-heavy harmonies, this Utah-based crew brings the heat with three standout performances and an interview that’ll leave you grinning.🎧 Session Highlights:🎤 “Sweet Dakota Rose” – A sun-soaked original inspired by West Dakota Rose, penned by mandolin player Dante and delivered with infectious energy.🚂 “Railroad” – A groovy, rhythm-driven original exploring connection, travel, and the pulse of a shifting world.🎸 “The Thrill Is Gone” – A staple cover the band makes their own, nodding to Garcia & Grisman’s take on the BB King classic—with a Pickpocket twist.Meet Alec, Aidan, Dante, and Jake as they talk about how their cross-country backgrounds brought them together in Utah, their musical roots, and why they’re stoked to finally take their sound beyond the Beehive State.💥 Catch the full set. Stick around for the stories. And remember: the thrill is definitely not gone.