Zach Winters: "When It Falls Apart"

Singer-songwriter Zach Winters says the most difficult song from his newest album, Shade of Indigo, is “When it Falls Apart,” a song that took considerable time to finish because he knew he had to thread the needle carefully when figuring out what to say. It’s a song that carries the grief of a fri…

John Tibbs: "After the Night"

For singer-songwriter John Tibbs, the months entering into the global pandemic of 2020 brought about a two-year period in which Tibbs says he could not write—for a number of reasons he documents in our conversation here. After years as a full-time artist on the road 200+ days per year, it was a sei…

Wild Harbors: "Break My Heart"

There are a hundred ways in which the process of writing, recording, and releasing a song can be messy, especially when it’s written from a point of pain or borne out of difficult circumstances. For the members of Wild Harbors, those issues could multiply many times over, given that they’re not onl…

Becca Jordan: "House of Wonder"

Becca Jordan is a thoughtful singer-songwriter in Nashville whose songs bend close to the earth. They’re grounded and relatable even as they’re also lovely and resonant. And that place where her songs meet the listener is where she says she’s wrestling these days. On this episode of The Deepest Cu…

Andy Gullahorn: "Grand Canyon"

Andy Gullahorn is onto something when he says that songwriting is the fastest way for him to connect to his heart. As we have conversations with artists about music that rises out of vulnerable moments, we’re ultimately talking about mining what’s inside—what’s at work in the heart of the artist.  …

Cecily: "For a Little While"

Despite its sparse arrangements, there’s something so striking about Cecily's EP Love Letters and her clear God-given talents and the heart behind her work.  Enjoy this conversation with Cecily as she walks us through the backstory behing the song "For a Little While."

Zane Vickery: "Whatever Light We Have"

For singer-songwriter Zane Vickery, nothing remains hidden from view—no matter how deep the wound. For Vickery, the more he can convey the reality of his own experiences and emotions (including the darker shades involving pain, sorrow, and frustration), the greater the possibility of reaching someo…

Carolyn Arends: "To Cry For You."

For singer-songwriter Carolyn Arends, the one song she says was the most difficult to write and release was written as her community supported her as she struggled to grieve the loss of her mother. In her darkest moment, the mentors and those around her helped her find the right words for a way for…

Sho Baraka: "Words 2006"

Sho Baraka takes us inside "Words, 2006" and tells us what its release has meant for him and so many others who feel seen by its subject matter. In addition, Sho also shares about the juvenile state of hip-hop and what it means to pursue eldership within it. 

Jill Phillips: "If You were Here"

For over 20 years, Jill Phillips’ catalog has served as a deep well from which others have drawn much-needed perspective, encouragement, and healing. Join Matt Conner as he talks with Jill about curiosity over shame, self-kindness, and how she “ugly cried” once when performing the song "If You Were…