Rick Rubin

Shows

Episodes

  1. Rodney Crowell

    MAR 3

    Rodney Crowell

    Rodney Crowell has been a fixture in Nashville's songwriting community for over 50 years. Born in Houston in 1950, he was influenced early on by songwriters Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt. In 1975, he joined Emmylou Harris' Hot Band as a guitarist and harmony singer, playing with her for three years. Rodney became known for his own work with his 1988 album Diamonds & Dirt, an album that made history by producing five consecutive number-one singles. Over his career, he's written songs for Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Bob Seger, and countless others, earning him a place in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Last August, Crowell released his twentieth studio album, Airline Highway, produced by Tyler Bryant and recorded at Dockside Studio in Louisiana. Just a few months ago, Willie Nelson released What a Beautiful World, an entire album of Crowell covers. On today's episode, Bruce Headlam talks to Rodney Crowell about making Airline Highway and the emotional experience of hearing Willie Nelson's tribute album. He discusses his formative years in Nashville's songwriting community. He opens up about his difficult childhood in Houston, including his mother's epilepsy and his father taking him to see Hank Williams perform when he was just two years old. And he talks about working with his ex-wife Rosanne Cash, and meeting his father-in-law Johnny Cash for the first time. You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Rodney Crowell HERE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 8m
  2. Jacob Collier

    JAN 27

    Jacob Collier

    Jacob Collier has built a remarkable career as a multi-instrumentalist and arranger known for his complex harmonic approach and collaborative spirit. He first gained attention as a teenager posting multi-track videos from his childhood bedroom in North London. In 2013, his cover of Stevie Wonder's "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing" caught the eye of Quincy Jones, who began mentoring him and helped launch his career. Over the past seven years, Jacob’s released four albums in his Djesse series—ambitious, wide-ranging projects featuring collaborations with artists ranging from Coldplay to Tori Amos. He's won multiple Grammy Awards and developed a following through his inventive live performances and his willingness to share his deep knowledge of music theory with fans online. Now, Jacob has made a dramatic shift with his new album, The Light for Days. Recorded in just four days using only a custom five-string guitar, it's a stripped-down, intimate collection that explores folk, classical, and jazz influences with notable restraint. On today's episode, Bruce Headlam talks to Jacob Collier about why he decided to limit himself to a single instrument after years of layered, maximalist production. He discusses the custom five-string guitar built for him by Taylor's master luthier Andy Powers and how its unique tuning opened up new harmonic possibilities. He also talks about working with Joni Mitchell, the influence of artists like John Martyn and Brian Wilson, and how growing up singing Bach chorales with his family shaped his approach to harmony. And he performs several songs from the new album live in the studio. You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Jacob Collier HERE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 4m