Off The Charts

Lionel Cartwright
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  • MUSIC INTERVIEWS

What if creative success isn’t just about fame or money? What myths keep us from fully embracing our creative potential? Off The Charts explores these questions through conversations with artists, musicians, writers, and other creative voices — as well as reflections from host Lionel Cartwright, a lifelong recording artist, songwriter, composer, and music director. By looking beyond metrics of popularity and sales, the show uncovers fresh perspectives on what a creative life can look like. Each episode is designed to encourage you to trust and engage your own creativity — wherever and however it’s expressed.

  1. 6D AGO

    Larry Groce: From a 70s Top 10 Hit to NPR’s Mountain Stage

    How do you turn a 70s novelty hit into a 40-year NPR legacy? Larry Groce is the ultimate "Serial Creator." 👇 Full Chapters & The Life Lesson Start Below! Click "Show More" 👇 From the Top 10 success of "Junk Food Junkie" to founding the institution that is Mountain Stage, Larry has navigated the music industry on his own terms. In this episode, we discuss why he walked away from the LA "hit machine" for West Virginia, and how he has sustained a creative fire for over 50 years. ⏱️ Chapters 00:00:00 - Start 00:01:44 - Inspiration and instinct 00:05:38 - Hit economy vs. DIY 00:11:14 - Mass appeal vs. unique voices 00:19:27 - Waiting to be discovered 00:26:21 - Creating Mountain Stage 00:33:14 - Being an organizer and an artist 00:40:27 - Marietta the Musical - One Vote 00:57:03 - Not getting discouraged 00:58:10 - Keeping the well from running dry 01:02:56 - West Virginia #mountainstage #larrygroce 🔗 Links & Resources All things Larry Groce: https://quarrierstreetrecords.com • Follow Lionel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lionelcartwright • Follow Lionel on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LionelCartwrightMusic/ 📺 Watch the full playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi-P8hoFrPjIIT-_myycOhauz9gRxVJMm&si=bgErQdKYs5_OssuB

    1h 8m

  2. 12/19/2025

    Carl Perkins: A Lesson in Lightness

    The secret lesson Carl Perkins taught me about surviving the music business. Most people would be bitter if Elvis became "The King" using their song. Carl chose something else: lightness.In the early 90s, while I was navigating the "Hat Act" craze of Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson, I had a chance airport hang with Carl. It was a masterclass in perspective.In this episode:The "Blue Suede Shoes" tragedy and the car crash that changed history.Carl's ability to laugh at career dips and industry trends. 👇 Full Chapters & Social links below! 👇⏱️ CHAPTERS: 0:00 Intro 0:21 My personal connection to Carl Perkins 0:38 The Back Story 1:03 Tragedy1:43 Elvis covers Blue Suede Shoes 2:20 The Toronto Airport• Follow Lionel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lionelcartwright • Follow Lionel on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LionelCartwrightMusic/• Check out the video episodes of Off The Charts

    4 min

  3. 12/11/2025

    What meeting Stevie Wonder revealed to me

    They say never meet your heroes — and that may be true more often than not. But a surprise encounter I had with Stevie Wonder left a mark I’ve never forgotten. It didn’t happen in a glamorous setting, and I was just a 21-year-old musician with no claim to fame. Yet this musical icon imparted something that remains a check and a reminder to this day. 🔗 Links & Resources • Follow Lionel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lionelcartwright • Follow Lionel on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LionelCartwrightMusic/ 📺 Watch the full playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi-P8hoFrPjIIT-_myycOhauz9gRxVJMm&si=uHXQSQjjjbS89ZPT --- 🙌 Support the Show If you enjoyed this conversation, please like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes exploring what creative success really means.

    8 min

  4. 12/03/2025

    Cara Fox: Where Songs Meet Strings

    Cellist Cara Fox and her recording-engineer husband, Jared, have built something rare in today’s music world—a true one-stop shop for artists who want the sound of a real string section on their records. From their Nashville studio, Fox Den Strings arranges, records, and delivers living, breathing string parts for artists around the globe. Whether it’s pop, country, classical, or folk, Cara and Jared blend top-tier musicianship with expert engineering to make world-class strings accessible to creators from Nashville to Tokyo. In this conversation, Cara—an in-demand cellist, mother, and partner—shares how she and Jared navigate their creative roles, their marriage, and the day-to-day realities of raising two young boys. It’s a thoughtful look at sustaining artistry and family, one project at a time. Links & Resources • Follow Fox Den Strings: • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foxdenstrings/ • Hear Fox Den Strings: • Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/fox-den-strings/pl.u-NpXm9RmI9dRx5 • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/54FyBjMQfAqlX4i98YDtNY?si=ffd05ccce83d48f0 --- • Follow Lionel: • Follow Lionel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lionelcartwright • Follow Lionel on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LionelCartwrightMusic/ --- 
📺 Watch the full playlist: • https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi-P8hoFrPjIIT-_myycOhauz9gRxVJMm&si=uHXQSQjjjbS89ZPT

    58 min

  5. 11/26/2025

    [Re-release] Wayne Kirkpatrick: Grammy Song of the Year, 10 Tony Award Nominations

    One Grammy Song of the Year, ten Tony Award nominations, and over two hundred recorded songs by artists we all know and love. But underneath Songwriter Hall of Fame member Wayne Kirkpatrick’s impressive résumé is a mindset that’s a true masterclass in long-haul creativity. In this episode, Wayne gives us a peek under the hood at the values and habits that have kept his songwriter engine running for decades. What’s especially compelling is how he deals with obstacles. Like water, Wayne finds ways to flow around what might stop other creatives in their tracks. This re-release of Part One is the beginning of a rich, two-part conversation that feels like sitting in on a masterclass—not just in songwriting, but in the creative life itself. --- • Chapters 00:00 - Intro 02:06 - How did you get into music? 12:28 - 70’s singer songwriters 20:27 - Personal vs commercial 27:56 - Change The World 41:14 - How do you cowrite? 46:37 - Music or lyrics first? --- • Links & Resources • Connect with Wayne Kirkpatrick: • Connect with Wayne on Twitter: @TheJunkBunk • Connect with Wayne on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wayne.kirkpatrick.7 • Connect with Lionel Cartwright: • Listen to Off The Charts: https://feeds.captivate.fm/off-the-ch... • Follow Lionel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lionelcartwright • Follow Lionel on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LionelCartwrightMusic/ --- • Watch the full playlist: https://bit.ly/4ihSL3f --- • Support the Show If you enjoyed this conversation, please like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes exploring what creative success really means.

    54 min

  6. 11/19/2025

    Eric Fortaleza: Don't wait to get picked

    Eric Fortaleza moved to Nashville from Sydney Australia. Instead of waiting for his big break, he built a live showcase for songwriters and musicians which has already become legendary. Every Tuesday night at Analog in the Hutton Hotel, rising songwriters take the stage with the world-class Pitch Meeting band bringing their songs to life. It’s Nashville’s first real “songwriter pitch night,” where a songwriter’s vision meets some of the town’s finest musicianship. Eric's story is a testament to a bias of action, a musician with an entrepreneurial bent who builds things rather than waiting for something to magically happen. If you can't make Pitch Meeting live, follow Eric and check out the excerpts on all social media platforms listed below: Instagram.com/soohungry Instagram.com/pitchmeeting facebook.com/EricFortalezaMusic twitter.com/ericfortaleza youtube.com/pitchmeeting www.pitchmusic.org Follow Lionel on Social Media: Instagram.com/lionelcartwright https://www.facebook.com/LionelCartwrightMusic/ This episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/8jUPClo5rkw

    1h 16m

  7. 11/12/2025

    Wayne Kirkpatrick Pt 2: Writing Broadway musicals

    Wayne Kirkpatrick transitioned from writing songs to writing musicals. His first, Something Rotten, became a Broadway hit nominated for ten Tony Awards, co-written with his brother Karey. Next came Mrs. Doubtfire, which played on Broadway before transferring to London's West End. Along with his musicals, Wayne has earned a Grammy Song of the Year Award for Eric Clapton and Babyface's recording of "Change the World," and his songs have been recorded by over two hundred artists. We explore the mindset behind such lofty achievements and what has kept Wayne's creativity so vital and enduring.

    1h 13m

  8. 11/06/2025

    Wayne Kirkpatrick Pt 1: From Song of the Year to Broadway

    From a Grammy Song of the Year to ten Tony Award nominations, Wayne Kirkpatrick embodies creativity. A Hall of Fame songwriter with more than two hundred recorded songs — and a hit Broadway composer — Wayne’s résumé is long and deeply impressive. In this episode, we look under the hood at what makes this lifelong creator so consistently inspired and productive. It’s clear that for Wayne, creativity isn’t just an occupation — it’s a way of life.

    55 min
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About

What if creative success isn’t just about fame or money? What myths keep us from fully embracing our creative potential? Off The Charts explores these questions through conversations with artists, musicians, writers, and other creative voices — as well as reflections from host Lionel Cartwright, a lifelong recording artist, songwriter, composer, and music director. By looking beyond metrics of popularity and sales, the show uncovers fresh perspectives on what a creative life can look like. Each episode is designed to encourage you to trust and engage your own creativity — wherever and however it’s expressed.

Information

  • Creator
    Lionel Cartwright
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    18
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 Lionel Cartwright
  • Show Website
    Off The Charts