Journey of a Song Emmeline

"Thick skin, now healed."

Midway through this episode of Journey of a Song, Cari Smith of Late to the Station leaned back on her stool and said, "The price I was paying internally [not to make music] became too high. I am here for a reason, and if I think this is it, to not do it would be an absolute waste."

Emmeline invites you to scribble that down on a Post-It and tape it to your bathroom mirror to remind yourself that the only life worth living is one about which you're deeply passionate--which is, coincidentally, the root of her conversation with Cari and Paul Smith from the Americana group, Late to the Station.

Here, Cari and Paul deconstruct their groovy jam, "Main Street Strut," as an ode to the genre and to the vocal swagger of legends like Chrissie Hynde. They also talk about their decision to make music professionally as fully grown adults, and all of the gifts music has brought into their lives--from the ability to be open to magic to the chance to fall in love.

To learn more about Late to the Station, or to follow their musical journey, visit their official website and follow them on Instagram.
For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.

"I love how it feels to be wild."

Can you really package a deep, meaningful message about the perils of conforming to social convention in a slick, spooky Halloween jam? Genre-bending, independent, Denton-based musical artist Brian Lambert says yes.

Back for his second appearance on Journey of a Song, Brian chats with Emmeline about how an exploration of major chords turned into a well-crafted werewolf song with a message about creative empowerment. He also shares some of the lessons from his previous project--in which he wrote and produced one song each week for an entire year--and some of the aspects of the music business with which he's not only come to terms, but to which he's leaned in over the course of the past few months. They also talk about how songwriting inspiration can come from nerdy music theory ideas, and how the different connotations of the term "emotional manipulator" can apply to musicians.

To learn more about Brian Lambert, or to follow his musical journey, visit his official website. You can also see the official music video for "Wild" here.
For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.

"Eyes of burgundy..."

This line was in Dorian Marsh's head from the inception of his collaboration with guitarist Ian Ross Cohen. He liked something about the turn of phrase, something about the concept of elusive, alluring eyes that forced him to proclaim, "I love her so."

Dorian didn't choose to sleep on the idea, though; he leaned into the unknown and went with it.

In this episode, Emmeline sits down with singer-songwriter Dorian Marsh and guitarist Ian Ross Cohen to talk about the collaborative process, the joy of finding like-minded creatives on the internet, and the importance of taking the leap--even when we're scared! Dorian shares the story of how he and Ian connected, and Ian talks about how his confidence in Dorian ultimately helped Dorian to have confidence in himself. The two see "My Abilene Woman" as a stellar example of honesty, vulnerability, and creativity--not without fear, but with fear in the back seat, where it belongs.

They also talk about finding inspiration in all kinds of art, and why genre can be difficult to pin down.

For more information about Dorian Marsh, or to follow his musical journey, find him on Spotify and Instagram. For more information about Ian Ross Cohen, or to follow his musical journey, find him on Spotify or on Instagram. You can listen to their collaborative record, Meeting Place, here.
For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.

"If all I have is you, I'd be the richest girl in the room..."

Sometimes, a song starts as a single idea with a slew of metaphors, laid neatly into a note on an iPhone. You don't need more ideas, or better words; you just need a friend to help you pare it down.

For Americana artist Sarah Johnson, that's how her latest single--a love song, just in time for Valentine's Day--began. In this episode, Emmeline sits down with Sarah  to chat about her brand new song, "Lovinaires®." They talk about the different kinds of love that the song represents to Sarah, from love of audience and love of music to the more complicated love of life as a creative professional. Sarah shares the triumphs and struggles that she's faced in her intentional choice to pursue visual art and music and talks about the daily journey of making peace with those decisions. The ladies also talk about the terrifying joy of cowriting a song, the beauty in good collaborators, and the importance of knowing your strengths and weaknesses as an artist!

To learn more about Sarah Johnson, or to follow her musical journey, visit her official website or follow her on Instagram. 



For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.

"Is there any love after death?" 

How can we move through grief? How can we honor our lost loved ones without allowing ourselves to be consumed by the past? How can we hold space for the memory of those we've lost and allow ourselves to live full, joyful, and meaningful lives?

For indie rock artist Chloe Clemente, the struggle to answer these questions manifested in the powerful "Love Letters to the Dead." In this episode, Emmeline sits down with Chloe and her guitarist Joseph Lacy to talk about how Chloe turned a few chords and the tendency to dwell into a song about leaving in the past what is no longer meant for us. Chloe shares the deeply personal story behind her song, her ongoing mental health journey, and the people and affirmations that allow her to carry the light of her loved ones forward in a positive and meaningful way. We also get to meet Chloe's dog, Tex, and she gives a shout-out to Journey of a Song alum, Brianna Ruelas.

To learn more about Chloe Clemente, or to follow her musical journey, visit her official website, or follow her on Instagram.
For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.

"We're running fast on streets with cracks in 'em."

How do you grow older gracefully? Can you preserve a bit of childhood as adulthood looms? Can you ever run with childlike abandon as an adult? Does progress always come at a cost?

In "Ms. Clavel," the thoughtful waltz from her new album, Wake, singer-songwriter Katherine Paterson poses these questions and more through the lens of a friendly childhood figure. Using literary allusions to Madeline, a scalar piano line that skips like water over stones, and the repetition of a familiar line--"That's all there is; there isn't anymore"--Katherine evokes the passing of time with a melodic simplicity that would make Joni Mitchell proud.

In this episode, Emmeline and Katherine chat about growing older, holding space for sadness, how one marks the passing of time, and the challenge of painting portraits of the people we become when we're not looking (to borrow a phrase from Elaine Castillo). They also talk about their mutual love for Sondheim and the healing power of music.

For more information about Katherine Paterson, or to follow her musical journey, visit her official website. You can also pre-save Wake on Spotify. 
For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.