x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

Nathans & Roncast

Aaron Nathans & Michael G. Ronstadt

Each episode of the Nathans & Roncast features a deep dive into a single song. Hosted by Aaron Nathans & Michael G. Ronstadt, this podcast includes conversations with the artists, as well as subject matter experts about the real-life stories behind story songs you know and love.

music music commentary

All Episodes

00:07:52

"Men and Rivers": Craig Bickhardt's reflection on our...

Nathans & Roncast ·

2024/12/11

In this bonus episode, Craig Bickhardt tells the story behind his song “Men and Rivers,” which he wrote about a flood in Nashville. It’s a reflection on mankind’s relationship with nature, which makes the song even more relevant amid more recent high-profile floods. This recording is from his new solo acoustic album, “Soliloquy: Sixteen Solo Songs.” We recently released parts one and two of our interview with Craig over the last two weeks. If you haven’t heard them, check them

en-US

00:07:52

"Men and Rivers": Craig Bickhardt's reflection on our...

Nathans & Roncast ·

2024/12/11

In this bonus episode, Craig Bickhardt tells the story behind his song “Men and Rivers,” which he wrote about a flood in Nashville. It’s a reflection on mankind’s relationship with nature, which makes the song even more relevant amid more recent high-profile floods. This recording is from his new solo acoustic album, “Soliloquy: Sixteen Solo Songs.” We recently released parts one and two of our interview with Craig over the last two weeks. If you haven’t heard them, check them

en-US

00:30:25

Talking "This Old House" with Craig Bickhardt

Nathans & Roncast ·

2024/12/04

In this episode we talk with Craig Bickhardt about his poignant song “This Old House,” which he co-wrote with fellow Pennsylvanian and Hall of Fame songwriter Thom Schuyler. This is the second half of our conversation with Craig, during which we discuss the human relationships and deeper emotions behind our relationship with things, including cars and houses . “To be a songwriter,” he says, “you really have to love the human experience. You can’t just love songs, you can’t just

en-US

00:30:25

Talking "This Old House" with Craig Bickhardt

Nathans & Roncast ·

2024/12/04

In this episode we talk with Craig Bickhardt about his poignant song “This Old House,” which he co-wrote with fellow Pennsylvanian and Hall of Fame songwriter Thom Schuyler. This is the second half of our conversation with Craig, during which we discuss the human relationships and deeper emotions behind our relationship with things, including cars and houses . “To be a songwriter,” he says, “you really have to love the human experience. You can’t just love songs, you can’t just

en-US

00:36:28

Giving thanks for Craig Bickhardt and his songcraft

Nathans & Roncast ·

2024/11/27

We were fortunate to spend a morning sitting in front of microphones at the Pennsylvania home of Craig Bickhardt, one of our favorite songwriters, a good friend of ours, and a regular collaborator. You can hear Michael’s cello on many of Bickhardt’s recordings, and Michael often backs him up live. He is one of the finest song craftsmen we have ever had the pleasure to have known, and his songs stack up against anyone’s. In this first half of our conversation, Craig will talk

en-US

00:36:28

Giving thanks for Craig Bickhardt and his songcraft

Nathans & Roncast ·

2024/11/27

We were fortunate to spend a morning sitting in front of microphones at the Pennsylvania home of Craig Bickhardt, one of our favorite songwriters, a good friend of ours, and a regular collaborator. You can hear Michael’s cello on many of Bickhardt’s recordings, and Michael often backs him up live. He is one of the finest song craftsmen we have ever had the pleasure to have known, and his songs stack up against anyone’s. In this first half of our conversation, Craig will talk

en-US

00:04:07

Live from Chicago, Elexa Dawson's "Blacksnake"

Nathans & Roncast ·

2024/11/27

Here’s one more single from our live recording of this podcast at the Folk Alliance Region Midwest conference in September. This song is “Blacksnake,” which she originally recorded with her band Weda Skirts. It’s a song about the Dakota Access Pipeline project, which threatens the water supply of Native American communities in South Dakota. To hear the entire live event, click on this link.

en-US

00:05:07

"All Along the Watchtower," live from Chicago

Nathans & Roncast ·

2024/11/21

Here’s an outtake from our recent live podcast taping at the Folk Alliance Region Midwest conference, held last month outside of Chicago. It’s our regular set closer/encore song, Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower,” with hand percussion by Elexa Dawson. To hear our interview with Elexa, click here.

en-US

00:05:07

"Mother," Elexa Dawson's song about Mother Earth,...

Nathans & Roncast ·

2024/11/13

We’re presenting some single songs from our live taping of the Nathans & Roncast in Chicago at Folk Alliance Regional Midwest last month. In this episode, Kansas-based songwriter Elexa Dawson sings her song “Mother,” an ode to Mother Earth. Michael adds some tasteful cello to Elexa’s soulful vocals and guitar. She wrote the song in reaction to the Dakota Access Pipeline project. To hear the song in context of the full live event, listen at this link.

en-US

00:05:07

"Mother," Elexa Dawson's song about Mother Earth,...

Nathans & Roncast ·

2024/11/13

We’re presenting some single songs from our live taping of the Nathans & Roncast in Chicago at Folk Alliance Regional Midwest last month. In this episode, Kansas-based songwriter Elexa Dawson sings her song “Mother,” an ode to Mother Earth. Michael adds some tasteful cello to Elexa’s soulful vocals and guitar. She wrote the song in reaction to the Dakota Access Pipeline project. To hear the song in context of the full live event, listen at this link.

en-US

00:03:52

"Old Joe's Chair," live from Chicago

Nathans & Roncast ·

2024/11/07

We played a few songs before our live taping of our interview with Elexa Dawson at the Folk Alliance Region Midwest conference. Here’s one of them, “Old Joe’s Chair,” written by Aaron and Phil Henry. It’s their song about the relationship between a man and his barber. It’s always good to have someone to talk to, especially during hard times.

en-US

00:03:52

"Old Joe's Chair," live from Chicago

Nathans & Roncast ·

2024/11/07

We played a few songs before our live taping of our interview with Elexa Dawson at the Folk Alliance Region Midwest conference. Here’s one of them, “Old Joe’s Chair,” written by Aaron and Phil Henry. It’s their song about the relationship between a man and his barber. It’s always good to have someone to talk to, especially during hard times.

en-US

00:49:11

Live from Chicago: Elexa Dawson's soul-stirring...

Nathans & Roncast ·

2024/10/30

In our first Nathans & Roncast recording in front of a live audience, we speak with Kansas-based performing songwriter Elexa Dawson about two songs she wrote about the Dakota Access Pipeline project that threatens the water supply of Native American communities in South Dakota. The songs are “Mother” and “Blacksnake.” We spoke with Elexa at the Folk Alliance Regional Midwest conference in Lisle, Illinois on Oct. 26, 2024. She performs both songs, and we finish the episode

en-US

00:49:11

Live from Chicago: Elexa Dawson's soul-stirring...

Nathans & Roncast ·

2024/10/30

In our first Nathans & Roncast recording in front of a live audience, we speak with Kansas-based performing songwriter Elexa Dawson about two songs she wrote about the Dakota Access Pipeline project that threatens the water supply of Native American communities in South Dakota. The songs are “Mother” and “Blacksnake.” We spoke with Elexa at the Folk Alliance Regional Midwest conference in Lisle, Illinois on Oct. 26, 2024. She performs both songs, and we finish the episode

en-US

00:05:06

Why Richard Shindell's "You Stay Here" packs a punch

Nathans & Roncast ·

2024/10/23

Richard Shindell is great story songwriter, and wow can he play guitar. Both of those skills — songwriting and guitar work — are on vivid display on one of his trademark songs, “You Stay Here,” off of his album “Somewhere Near Paterson” which was released in the year 2000. It’s a song about foraging and living off the land. At least that’s what we think it’s about. There’s a vein of every man for himself that runs across this album — sadness, darkness, loss, addiction — but he

en-US

00:05:06

Why Richard Shindell's "You Stay Here" packs a punch

Nathans & Roncast ·

2024/10/23

Richard Shindell is great story songwriter, and wow can he play guitar. Both of those skills — songwriting and guitar work — are on vivid display on one of his trademark songs, “You Stay Here,” off of his album “Somewhere Near Paterson” which was released in the year 2000. It’s a song about foraging and living off the land. At least that’s what we think it’s about. There’s a vein of every man for himself that runs across this album — sadness, darkness, loss, addiction — but he

en-US

00:24:53

"Love Out Loud": Burr Settles, who helped birth a...

Nathans & Roncast ·

2024/10/16

In part two of our conversation with the founder of February Album Writing Month, Burr Settles discusses the wonderful and occasionally strange journeys taken by songs written for the challenge. And we take a listen to Burr’s song “Love Out Loud,” which he wrote from a “comments-first” challenge during one FAWM. He built the song entirely around hypothetical feedback left in the comments section of a blank song. Burr was also on the founding team of the language learning app

en-US

00:24:53

"Love Out Loud": Burr Settles, who helped birth a...

Nathans & Roncast ·

2024/10/16

In part two of our conversation with the founder of February Album Writing Month, Burr Settles discusses the wonderful and occasionally strange journeys taken by songs written for the challenge. And we take a listen to Burr’s song “Love Out Loud,” which he wrote from a “comments-first” challenge during one FAWM. He built the song entirely around compliments left in the comments section of a blank song. Burr was also on the founding team of the language learning app Duo Lingo

en-US

00:07:22

How to Make a Set List: Pacing and Balance

Nathans & Roncast ·

2024/10/10

Aaron and Michael take you inside the process of making a set list just before a recent house concert. We write the set list in real time, trading songs back and forth and negotiating the pace of the show and making sure the duo’s songs are well balanced. We make it a tradition to build our setlist just beforehand, to keep things interesting, trading the pen back and forth, putting the songs here and there. In this case, we were sitting in front of an open window in the early

en-US

00:27:52

Why Burr Settles, founder of February Album Writing...

Nathans & Roncast ·

2024/10/02

Tens of thousands of new songs, perhaps more, exist because Burr Settles founded February Album Writing Month in 2004. The annual monthlong challenge requires participants to write 14 songs in the 28 days of the month. People from around the world participate, sharing their new creations with each other and providing positive feedback, and building community. Burr also was among the early team that created Duolingo, the app that helps people learn new languages. In part one of

en-US

157 results

Similar Podcasts

Pasquale Maassen Soundcloud

Pasquale Maassen

Marian Klose

Marian Klose

sevenism

sevenism

Dean Delray"s LET THERE BE TALK

Cactus Radio Network

Word In Your Ear

Mark Ellen, David Hepworth and Alex Gold