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Join us in celebrating and commiserating with some of the world's foremost creatives about their endlessly various artistic processes. Not just in the arts, but in science, medicine, politics, technology, and more. Together we will figure out ways to maintain a spirit of curiosity and innovation in our everyday lives. NY Times best-selling author and musician Ben Folds hosts a podcast focused on enlightening conversations each week with guests. You can submit your questions to Ben here: http ...
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The “ArtsVote 2020 Podcast Series with Ben Folds” is a program of the Americans for the Arts Action Fund (Arts Action Fund). The Arts Action Fund is a nonpartisan 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization, whose 400,000 members are dedicated to educating federal candidates on beneficial public policies to advance the arts in our communities, arts education in our schools, and charitable tax policies in our nonprofit sector.
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Today’s guests are biologist and environmentalist, Dr. Roger Payne, and literary scholar and author, Jonathan Gottschall! This is our exciting final episode before we go on a hiatus to reflect on and pursue all the wonderful insights and ideas we’ve gained from a year of lightning bugs. This show's central topic has been creativity, and this episod…
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Today’s guest is biologist and environmentalist, Dr. Roger Payne. In 1970 Dr Payne recorded “Songs of the Humpback Whale” which stands as the best-selling environmental album in history. This album and it’s popularity crafted the “Save the Whales” movement which then led to the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment ten-year global…
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Today’s guest is pianist and composer Elena Kats-Chernin! Best known for her opera, Wild Swans, Elena also creates orchestral works, solo pieces, as well as music for various mediums from dance to film. You’ll recognize works such as Clocks, Book of Rags, and Orpheus/Odysseus/Poppea. On this episode we talk about focusing on what you will do today …
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Today’s guest is astronaut and test pilot, Michael López-Alegría. Michael has completed three Space Shuttle missions and an International Space Station mission. He holds the record for highest number of spacewalks (also known as EVAs), as well as longest total duration of time in EVA. On this episode, we talk about the ways traveling to space chang…
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Today’s guest is musician, songwriter, and five-time Grammy winner, Keb’ Mo’. He’s a blues musician, having released songs such as Am I Wrong, Good To Be, and Will The Circle Be Unbroken. On this episode, we talk about making music during the pandemic, the different approaches when recording on tape, and how mistakes in music can feel more authenti…
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Today’s guest is Roy Cooper, the Governor of Ben’s home state of North Carolina. In office, Governor Cooper has placed focus on the arts and preserving art communities during the pandemic. In this episode they talk about the logistics of arts funding, how the arts grow small towns, and public versus private. Ben gives tribute to region that helped …
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Today’s guest is actor and singer, Nicholas Barasch. He's starred in the Broadway productions of She Loves Me and West Side Story. Nicholas is currently starring in the Broadway National Tour of Hadestown. On this episode, we talk about becoming a child actor, how to work through puberty and voice changes, and how rejections are the biggest part of…
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Today’s guest is former U.S. Army General, and CEO and President of Americans for the Arts, Nolen Bivens. His work pushes for arts and arts education in the public and private sectors and emphasizes the importance that creativity has in every aspect in life. On this episode, we dive into talking about military artists, how the United States has alw…
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Today’s guest is singer, songwriter, and musician, Cassadee Pope. Cassadee was the lead singer of Hey Monday, and has had a successful solo career. After winning NBC’s “The Voice” in 2012, she’s continued to create hit songs and express her creativity. On this episode we talk about what makes good collaboration, how competition can be a healthy dri…
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Today’s guest is the founder of Kush Audio and Sly-Fi Digital, Gregory Scott. He’s worked to create countless plug-ins and interfaces to help creatives working in audio. He’s also the host of “Kush After Hours,” a program dedicated to teach mixing, mastering, and audio work in inventive and creative ways, giving deep insights to everyone that liste…
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Today’s guest is stand-up comedian, actress, musician, activist, and author, Margaret Cho. You’ll recognize her from the sitcom she created and starred in, All-American Girl, as well as various roles in media, being featured in ventures like, Face/Off, Drop Dead Diva, 30 Rock, and many, many more. Margaret is best known for her stand-up comedy rout…
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Today’s guest is Osteopath, 10-times World Champion in full-contact Filipino Stick-fighting, 8th Dan Black Belt in Filipino Martial Arts, Andrea Wheatly. Andrea is a fighter, inside and outside of the ring. She has been paralyzed four times over her career, relearning to walk in 2014. She is a testament to hard work, dedication, and passion, in eve…
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Today’s guest is Multi-Instrumentalist and Vocalist, Jacob Collier! You’ll recognize him from tracks such as “All I Need,” “The Sun In Your Eyes,” and “In Too Deep.” His music spans across several styles and genres as Jacob looks for new and interesting ways to create. On this episode we talk about how digital instruments have changed how we make m…
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Today’s guest is actor, producer, writer, and podcaster, Rainn Wilson. You’ll recognize him as Dwight Schrute from NBC’s The Office, the digital media company he co-founded, SoulPancake, the Lidè Foundation with it’s goal to empower at-risk women and girls through the arts in rural Haiti, or from his podcast, Metaphysical Milkshake. On this episode…
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Today’s guest is musician, actor, and producer, Peter Frampton. You’ll recognize his work from music groups like: Humble Pie, The Herd, and Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band. You’ll also see him in movies like Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and Almost Famous. In this episode we talk about being a fan for someone else’s work and how an artist…
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Today’s guest is literary scholar, Research Fellow, Author, and Editor, Jonathan Gottschall! His latest book, The Story Paradox, highlights the influence of storytellers and how stories can be used for both good and bad purposes. His other work, The Storytelling Animal, shows how human beings are wired to consume stories. On this episode, we talk a…
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Today’s guest is actress, model, writer, and musician, Lindsey Kraft. You know her from The Shrink Next Door, Grace and Frankie, Getting On, Veep, and more! On this episode we dive into talking about going to a spiritual healer to help people transition from corporate to creative, changing between acting and playing piano, and looking for the truth…
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Today’s guest is mandolinist, singer, and songwriter, Chris Thile. You’ll know him from his work with the acoustic trio Nickel Creek, the bluegrass group, Punch Brothers, as well as his solo album, Laysongs, released this year. On this episode we talk about how the meaning of folk music changes with cultures, growing up in a musical household, show…
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Today’s guest is magician Penn Jillette! Half of the comedy magic duo, Penn & Teller, Penn is also a musician, actor, inventor, author, and more. You’ll know him from his years of magic, the hit television show: Fool Us, and his podcast Penn’s Sunday School. On this episode, we talk about creating an even playing field in magic, choosing something …
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My guest this week is singer-songwriter Dodie. She started out by uploading original songs and covers to YouTube back in 2007, and now she's got almost 2 million YouTube subscribers, 3 EPs, and 1 full-length album. On this episode, we talk about creating a career using YouTube, the best recording session of Dodie’s life, and how a music career star…
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Today’s guest is Nick Hornby, best-selling author (High Fidelity, About A Boy, Fever Pitch), award-winning screenwriter (An Education, Wild, Brooklyn) and lyricist (Ben Folds' album, Lonely Avenue). On this episode, we talk about how children can be the most honest characters, how music and writing overlap, combating the urge to abandon an old idea…
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Join Ben and his special guest Dan Wilson (writer of Not Ready To Make Nice, Someone Like You, Closing Time) LIVE from Ben's writing camp studio in Nashville. Grab a front row seat to join Ben on stage to ask your questions about his career, writing process, and what he has in store for the future! There will also be live trivia and bingo, with an …
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On today’s bonus episode we are joined by Rainn Wilson and Reza Aslan from the podcast Metaphysical Milkshake. We dive in and get a New Week’s Resolution from both Rainn and Reza. Afterwards we create a song using a haiku, a bassoon, and a lot of creativity! This episode is the second part of a special crossover event. Check out the other part whic…
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Today’s guest is Andy Grammer, the singer, songwriter, and record producer. You’ll know Andy from hit songs like “Honey, I’m Good”, “Don’t Give up on Me”, and “Good To Be Alive.” On this episode, we dive into how the music industry has changed from an exclusive club to being more spread out, humble beginnings, helping to cultivate the magic of crea…
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Today’s guest is Derek Waters, the actor, comedian, screenwriter, producer, and director. You’ll recognize Derek from his hit series Drunk History as well as from his many other creative pursuits. Derek is a force, through and through, collaborating and contributing in any creative space he works in. On this episode we dive into talking about playi…
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Today’s guest is Scott Hicks, the Australian film director and screenwriter. Best known for writing and directing Shine, the biopic of pianist David Helfgott, Scott received nominations for two Academy Awards. From Shine, Scott has gone on to direct many more films, such as No Reservations, The Lucky One, and Heart of Atlantis. On this episode we t…
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Today’s guest is William Shatner! Known for his iconic role as Captain Kirk in Star Trek: The Original Series, William is an actor, author, producer, director, screenwriter, and singer. His newest album, “BILL,” is releasing 9/24. Ben and William collaborated on the album “Has Been,” released in 2004. In this episode, we talk about what separates a…
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Today’s guest is singer-songwriter, pianist, and orchestral composer Gabriel Kahane. He’s released several albums to critical acclaim, and he’s written essays for publications such as The New Yorker and The New York Times. Gabriel has a unique approach to songwriting - in 2016, he traveled all around the United States gathering inspiration for his …
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Today’s guest is Greg Harris, president and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Greg has had an impressive career - as the co-founder of a successful vinyl record store, the Vice President of Development at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, and now as the leader of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Greg and Ben crossed paths in 2014 d…
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Today’s guest is the iconic New York City drag artist, TV personality, and political activist, Marti Gould Cummings. Marti's been a regular fixture in the nightlife world for nearly a decade. They host shows such as Dragged and The Marti Report, and they have a podcast called Marti Talks. Marti is known for combining the world of drag with politics…
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Today, my guest is singer, songwriter, and actor, Josh Groban! He's performed all around the world for over a decade, and in 2017, he starred in the hit Broadway musical, Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812. As an actor, you'd recognize him in tv shows and films such as - The Good Cop, Crazy Stupid Love, The Office, and so much more. On thi…
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Today, my guest is singer and songwriter Emily King. She’s an amazing R&B artist with four albums and three Grammy nominations under her belt. She released an album in 2020 called Sides, which is all acoustic versions of previously released songs. On this episode, we discuss how to find your authentic voice in a world where you can have unlimited v…
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Today, my guest is Dr. Daniel Levitin. He’s a neuroscientist, musician, and author. His research encompasses music, the brain, health, productivity and creativity. Publishing more than 300 articles, authoring four New York Times Bestsellers, and serving as a music consultant for several musical groups, Daniel’s insight and ideas have been felt far …
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Today’s guest is the musician Bishop Briggs. Her first single Wild Horses was released in 2015, and she's been cranking out music every year since then. Bishop has always been on the grind, starting out in coffee shops and small venues (which she refers to as “piss rooms,”) working hard to become the musician she is today. We dive into the realitie…
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Today’s guest is the record producer, sound engineer, and professor, Susan Rogers. She’s worked as a studio engineer with artists such as Prince, Barenaked Ladies, David Byrne, and many more. Susan has a doctorate in music cognition and psychoacoustics from McGill University, and she’s a professor at Berklee College of Music in the Music Production…
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Today’s guest is a former poet laureate in Canada, author, and essayist, Alice Major. She’s published eleven collections of poetry, two novels for young adults, and an award-winning collection of essays about poetry and science. Her work has appeared in a variety of anthologies, and she’s active in many literary and arts organizations all over Cana…
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Today, my guest is singer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Kishi Bashi. He’s recorded and toured internationally as a violinist with a variety of artists such as Regina Spektor, Sondre Lerche, and of Montreal. His latest album, Omoiyari, was released in 2019. He is currently co-directing a feature length documentary of the same name about mino…
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Today we spoke with Sarah Donnelley, an inspiring, award-winning teacher and musician based in Australia. She recently received an ARIA award for a video project she made with her students during COVID-19 lockdown in remote Wilcannia, Australia. Sarah promotes creativity inside and outside of her classroom - connecting the community around her and …
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Today we spoke with Rove McManus, an award-winning comedian, television and radio presenter, producer and media personality. His career has spanned many different platforms throughout the years. Voted most popular personality on Australian Television, Rove has called TV home but has expanded to create for standup comedy, radio, film, and much more.…
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Today we spoke with George Massenburg, a living legend in the recording industry. A world-class electronics inventor who created the parametric equalizer, he's designed, built and managed recording studios, and his George Massenburg Labs (GML) equipment can be found in nearly every notable studio in the world. He's a multi-Grammy award winner with …
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Today we spoke with Ruby Amanfu, the Nashville-based Grammy Award nominated songwriter, recording artist, actor, and activist. From her collaborations with Jack White, H.E.R., and Sara Bareilles to her expansive array of solo work, her voice as a musician has been heard by the world in many different ways. We also spoke about her recent collaborati…
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Today we spoke with Ryan O’Connell, the amazing writer, actor, showrunner, director, comedian, and activist. We spoke about formulating a writing process, how the content we create changes with age, wearing your influences on your sleeves to create something for yourself, owning your troll, and much more. We also spoke about Ryan’s Netflix show “Sp…
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Today we spoke with Jeff Lawson, the Co-Founder and CEO of Twilio. His career has spanned over many years and over many companies, notably serving as the CTO of Stubhub. We talked about the creativity of programming and how creating a playground with problems to fix inspires coders to tinker and create solutions. Jeff’s goal is one of collaboration…
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Today we spoke with Sara Bareilles, the amazing singer-songwriter, actress, author, and producer. From hit songs such as Love Song and Brave, to her newest project Girls5eva, a TV series streaming on Peacock, Sara is an unstoppable creative force. In this episode, we talked about how your childhood influences your creativity, why it's important to …
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Today we spoke with Bob Saget, the comedian, actor, host, and podcaster. From hosting America’s Funniest Home Videos and playing Danny Tanner in Full House to his long history of stand up and his podcast, Bob has entertained millions. In this episode we talked about needing a work ethic as an entertainer, having a dynamic and evolving career as a c…
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Today we spoke with Mo Willems, the New York Times best-selling children’s author, illustrator, animator, and playwright. He’s known for his characters such as The Pigeon, Elephant, Piggie, and many more. In our conversation we talked about how a character is a child’s best friend and how children often are the best critics, noticing details in boo…
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Today, we chatted with Maegan Morrow, a cutting edge music therapist showing that music can be used for more than just enjoyment. In our conversation, we discuss how the human body reacts physically to beats and music, showing that music and rhythm is essential to certain processes. Maegan is most known for her work with former Congresswoman Gabby …
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Marianne Williamson - Using Spirituality to Overcome Writer’s Block and Discovering the Past to Change the World
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Today, we spoke with Marianne Williamson, the author of 13 books and counting. Marianne has a unique approach to creativity with how she infuses spirituality into her process. This mindfulness influences her work, and we had a really interesting conversation about why we create art - in a deeper, more metaphysical way. You can submit your questions…
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Today, we spoke with Caleb Teicher, a dancer and choreographer based in New York City. We chatted about being a creative while also being a human being, how artists get and grow ideas, and finding new approaches and perspectives in defined mediums, such as dance. You can submit your questions to Ben here: https://www.speakpipe.com/BenFolds See omny…
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Today, we talked to Jon Batiste, musician and band leader for Late Show with Stephen Colbert. We chatted about music theory, staying motivated in quarantine, and ways to carve out time for your art. You can submit your questions to Ben here: https://www.speakpipe.com/BenFolds See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…
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