PODCAST · music
Tasty Brew Music
by Diana Linn
Conversations and musical interludes with artists, industry professionals and supporters of the Americana/Global Roots Music scene. This podcast is curated by Diana Linn, Member of Folk Alliance International and the Americana Music Association, Host of the Tasty Brew Music Radio Show and Siren Song on 90.1 FM KKFI, and Co-Founder of the Heartland Song Network, Inc., a Kansas nonprofit dedicated to empowering the art of songwriting through education, collaboration and mentorship.
Episodes
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BJ Barham of American Aquarium - A Veritable "First Responder"
For more than twenty years, BJ Barham—Bradley Justin, as I finally got him to reveal—has been making a living doing what he jokingly calls “making a racket.” As the songwriter and driving force behind American Aquarium, he’s logged thousands of shows, built a fiercely loyal audience, and turned…
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Jeff Porter - A Heartland Rainmaker and Mooncrow
Sometimes the best conversations are worth waiting for — even if the wait happens to be over a decade. Kansas City songwriter and guitarist Jeff Porter has long been on my wish list for a live appearance on The Tasty Brew. I finally wore him down, and he joined me in the studio, guitar in hand…
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Willi Carlisle - Spreading the Gospel of the Universal Bubba
Willi Carlisle calls himself a “big tent folk singer,” and spend a little time with his music and you begin to understand just how big that tent really is. He’s a songwriter, poet, folklorist, storyteller and road-worn troubadour whose songs make room for outsiders, working people, oddballs,...
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Cody Dunning - Songs Honoring Strong Women in His Life
Warsaw, Missouri songwriter Cody Dunning crafts lyrics and melodies that are honest and relatable. Cody reached out to me via email forwarding his latest work; upon a quick listen I knew it was a good fit for The Tasty Brew. The ability to support songwriting in the Heartland by having…
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Jacob Joseph Berger - Lawyer Leading a Lyrical Life
Jacob Joseph Berger is a musician, songwriter, and attorney currently based in Grandview, Missouri. He came to my attention as the opener for my touring songwriting friend, Jeremy Facknitz, at a 2026 Waldo Folk Show. I remembered thinking during his first song where has this guy been and why have…
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Kimmi Bitter - Keeping it Countrypolitan
Sometimes live radio requires a little improvisation—and this conversation with Kimmi Bitter certainly did. Just minutes before we went on the air at KKFI, the station internet went down. So, armed with a cell phone held up to the studiomicrophone and a little trial and error, we carried on. The...
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Blaine Younger - Kansas is Where His Heart Lands
Welcome to another episode of the Tasty Brew MusicPodcast. This time around, we're featuring a very special returnvisit from Nashville-based singer-songwriter Blaine Younger. More than a decade ago, before taking the leap from his western Kansas roots to pursue music full-time in Nashville…
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River Shook - Disarmingly Authentic Storytelling Through Song
Sometimes the most courageous journey an artist can takeisn't to a new city—it's becoming more fully themselves. Today's guest, River Shook, is living that journey through both music and life. Hello, friends, and welcome to another episode of the TastyBrew Music Podcast, where we share...
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Joshua Ray Walker - Plot Twist - He Ain't Dead Yet!
Sometimes an artist's music tells you everything you needto know... and sometimes life writes a chapter no songwriter ever expected." Welcome to another episode of the Tasty Brew MusicPodcast. I'm Diana Linn. When Texas singer-songwriter Joshua Ray Walker burst ontothe Americana and country music...
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Mason Via - Putting His Own Spin on Traditional Bluegrass Music!
I have to pinch myself sometimes on the blessings I havetalking to some of the most talented and influential artists in roots music, especially when it’s in support of a live performance in the Heartland. Young Bluegrass master Mason Via recently took the time to have a conversation with me after...
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My Politic - Signs of Life - It's All Just Math
Two immediate updates are required for this next episode of the Tasty Brew Music Podcast. Within 48 hours of me speaking to Kaston Guffey of the indie folk duo My Politic on the radio over the 2026 Fourth of July weekend, there was a last minute scheduling change at the Woody Guthrie Folk…
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Lauren Wanamaker and Lucy Isabel - Bluebird Cafe Type Session on the Radio!
Fund Drive shows on community radio used to give me so much anxiety but over the years, and with well over 50 of them under my belt, I now approach them like any other broadcast. Have fun, entertain and put the spotlight on those artists who are underserved or ignored by main stream media. In the...
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Nicki White - Creating Sacred Spaces in the Omnipresence of the Divine
I’ve been a Nicki White supporter for over 10 years inwhatever iteration she chooses… pop, blues, R & B, country, roots… she bends multiple genres seamlessly, works hard in multiple projects like “Flat Susan” and “The Village Prairie” in addition to solo songwriter gigs. Over the years, she has...
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Crys Matthews - Amplifying Voices and Shedding Light!
The community radio station for which I am a programmer has the following mission statement: We seek to stimulate, educate and entertain our audience, to reflect the diversity of the local and world community, and to provide a channel for individuals and groups, issues and music that have been...
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Sky Smeed - One of the Heartland's Best Songwriters - Fight Me!
I recently welcomed my friend Sky Smeed to spend an hour with me on the Mid-Coast Live! program on KKFI. I have a fifteen-year history with this Kansas songwriter; he was the first artist I had join me live in the KKFI studios as I launched The Tasty Brew Music Radio Show in 2010. I’ve hosted Sky...
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The Shandies - A Lovely Sip of Music from Springfield, MO!
I had my first experience as a panelist at a Folk Alliance Region Midwest mini-conference or “Farmette” in Emporia, Kansas. My co-presenter, Nick Carswell, and I were to share our insights and opinions on what an artist needed to have in their tool kit to be “radio ready”. During the day’s...
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Caleb Nelsen - Grit and Honesty from a First Responder
Some things never get old…. Like the opportunity tointroduce a songwriter from the Heartland to a radio audience for the first time. I had the opportunity during a recent “Pledge Drive” on KKFI to introduce songwriter and Topeka, KS firefighter Caleb Nelsen to the Heartland’s airwaves. Caleb’s…
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Of a Feather - Sara Morgan and Kelly Hunt's Dynamic Duo
I have dedicated most of my discretionary time and income tocommunity radio in Kansas City for the past 25 years. One of the perks from that association is to be introduced to and become friends and acquaintances with some amazingtalent. Songwriters Sara Morgan and Kelly Hunt, who individually…
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Mike Westbrook - Introduction to Radio and the Heartland Music Community
As is often the case, songwriter Mike Westbrook was referred to me by a fellow songwriter. Relatively new to theHeartland via Louisiana and Oregon, Westbrook came to songwriting in his mid-20’s and is actively pursuing the muse and a lyrical life. The youngest of three in a family not knownfor...
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Rick Gibson Returns with the Life and Times of Curtis Lee
As a follow up to our June, 2025 podcast episode with songwriter Rick Gibson, I had Rick back in the studio to share an update on the Ozark Anthology Project that includes the Book of Ozark and The Life and Times of Curtis Lee (Rick’s grandfather). In THIS episode, you’ll hear a carefully curated...
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Teri Quinn - Self Discovery Through Genre Crossing Creativity
Time flies… it really does. I first had songwriter Teri Quinn on The Tasty Brew Music Radio Show ten years ago introducing the release of her Moons and Meltdowns EP. I’ve been present at some amazing performances from Teri at Folk Alliance, at a festival in Kansas City’s Roanoke Park and at local...
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Lauren Karr - Story Weaver
Lauren Karr is a Kansas City–based singer, songwriter who blends raw emotion with thoughtful lyricism. Her music weaves together stories of resilience, healing, and truth—reflecting both her personal journey and a deep desire to connect with others. Through her LCK Studios, Lauren is building a...
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Jillian Riscoe - A Lyrical Belle from the Heartland
I love hosting Siren Song once a month on a Saturday onKKFI. The focus, regardless of genre, is on female voices and songwriting telling the stories of women’s lives. Kansas City based songwriter Jillian Riscoe reached out to me via email about her Ancient History EP project. We scheduleda date…
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Lauren Anderson - A Classical Voice Rooted in Blues, Rock and Soul!
It has been years 7 years since I’ve been to Nashville andway too long since I’ve seen my friend and Illinois native Lauren Anderson who moved to Music City from Kansas City nearly nine years ago. She returned to Kansas City recently toparticipate in a monthly Lyrical Belles residency in the…
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Ensemble Iberica - Tradición Viva / Living Tradition
I live a rather enchanted life these days and for that I ammost grateful. I am more open to new musical and artistic experiences as I’ve gotten older due in no small part tomy acquaintance with and participation in programming provided by Beau Bledsoe, Artistic Director of Ensemble Iberica. I…
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Trusten Williams - A Penchant for Collaborative Songwriting
Camdenton, Missouri native Trusten Williams is anothertreasure that has come into my orbit by virtue of my volunteering as a programmer/dj on community radio. Now aretired educator, Trusten has found a way to get his penchant for collaborating and writing amazing songs, recorded by a cadre of…
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Cole Chaney - Born in the Shadow of a Mountain
It is always a roll of the dice when attempting to make aconnection for a phone interview. We went through some things to get Kentucky native Cole Chaney on in a timely manner one fall morning as he and his crew were checking out of their Airbnb en route to Kansas City for a show atKnuckleheads....
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Steve Farber - Echoes in the Well
Award winning Songwriter, leadership and management expert and business book author Steve Farber is an artist that came to my attention a couple of years back through open mics and song sanctuaries in Kansas City. As you will hear in this conversation and in studio musical performance, hisworking...
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Max Gomez - Western Folk from a Taos Troubadour
Max Gomez and I have only crossed paths in person one time when he opened for James McMurtry; I have been a fan of his work for some time and was very disappointed I had to miss his recent show in Kansas City. We were able to have an on air radio conversation before that show and it was a real...
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Amy Ward - In Sync in the Heartland
Kansas City based songwriter Amy Ward responded to a call to action to submit a proposed theme song to celebrate the 15th anniversary for my Tasty Brew Music Radio Show. Although, like Tica Felise from our last Tasty Brew Music Podcast episode, I did not ultimately choose Amy’s submission, I...
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Tica Felise - Unapologetic Ukulele Goddess
To commemorate and celebrate 15 years of the Tasty BrewMusic Radio Show on KKFI, I partnered with the Heartland Song Network in the summer of 2025 to seek submissions for a theme song for the show. Although I did not ultimately choose the entry submitted by Kansas City based songwriter Tica…
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Los Texmaniacs! The Past, Present and Future of Conjunto Music!
My friend Beau Bledsoe, Artistic Director of the amazing nonprofit Ensemble Iberica, recently messaged me that Max and Josh Baca of Los Texmaniacs were coming to Kansas City for a show and wanted to come on the radio to honor the recently departed music icon, accordionist Flaco Jimenez. I, of...
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Kristin Hamilton - Country Folk with a Tinge of Bluegrass!
I have known songwriter Kristin Hamilton for 8 years now….Beginning with her membership in an amazing Americana band called Under the Big Oak Tree and continuing with her work with her daughter Lucy Gray, members of Cowtown Country Club and now as a solo artist. In addition to the Tasty Brew…
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Stefan Prigmore - An East Texas Treasure of a Troubadour
East Texas Songwriter Stefan Prigmore is another artist thatcame to me from multiple streams of connection as you’ll hear in the Summer 2025 conversation and musical performance. His down home demeanor and Jon Dee Graham meets Skylar Hamilton meets John Prine vocal aesthetic is a wonderful...
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Jack Barksdale - A Voice for Everyone
I’ve been around of while. I’ve seen and heard hundreds, if not thousands, of live music performances. Everything from my first concert in 1965 for The Righteous Brothers in St. Louis to Loretta Lynn at the Ryman Auditorium inNashville, Tennessee. I’ve been present in locked fado clubs in Lisbon...
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Jesse Jack Sample - King of the Plains from Toronto, KS
Danielle Anderson aka Danielle Ate the Sandwich is a very talented artist. She recently filled in as host for the Heartland Song Network’s monthly song salon (The Song Sanctuary)at Kansas City’s PH Coffee. A gentleman named Jesse Jack Sample from Toronto, KS attended and blew everyone, including...
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Flanner, Laycock and Schrock - aka FLS Band with Postcards from Gehenna, MO
One of many great joys in hosting shows on community radiois giving a voice to local musicians who, despite their amazing talent and songwriting ability, are underserved or completely ignored by mainstream corporate media. This episode of the Tasty Brew Music podcast features this show’s debut of...
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Rick Gibson - The Book of Ozark (from The Ozark Anthology)
My connection with songwriting guitarist Rick Gibson goesback to about 2012 when he spearheaded a project with his “Peacemakers” band that featured my friend Tom Hall on vocals. Rick recently visited the Tasty Brew Music Radio show to share the details and spin some tunes from his 2025 project…
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Christian Dixon - It's All About Genetics!!!
Welcome to the 101st episode of the Tasty Brew Music Podcast! I first met Christian Dixon at a Sunday Heartland SongNetwork Song Sanctuary session at PH Coffee House. Shortly thereafter I welcomed Christian on air for what I believe was his very first radio appearance. I was honored to recently...
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Kris Schultz - From Merch Slinger to Bonafide Singer!
To the best of my knowledge, Kris Schultz is the second“merch slinger” I’ve met that went on to pursue a lyrical life as a troubadour in her own right. My first experience was with Texas songwriter Kayla Ray as she first visited KC slinging merch for Jason Eady. I love Kris’ trajectory…. check…
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Cameron Keeling and The Runaway Train debuts "Kill Creek!"
Cameron Keeling, one of the hardest working and accomplished musicians from the Heartland, learned to play and write songs around his hometown Kansas City MO. He toured with bluegrass band Grassfed for 5-years, releasing 2 studio albums. You can catch him these holding down the low end on the...
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Terra Spencer - Nova Scotia comes to the Heartland!
In this episode of the Tasty Brew Music Podcast, I welcome Terra Spencer, a gifted songwriter from Windsor, Nova Scotia. Howard Dolginoff, presenter of the Labyrinth House Concert Series, was kind enough to make the introduction and bring Terra into the KKFI studios prior to her run of shows in…
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Max Cooper III - The Overthinker
In this episode of the Tasty Brew Music Podcast, I’m thrilled to bring you a conversation with a young artist from Lenexa, Kansas. His name is Max Cooper III — a young and incredibly gifted piano-playing songwriter with a unique sound that's already turning heads here in the Heartland. Max blends...
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Abbie Gardner - Dobrosinger Extraordinaire!!!
Abbie Gardner is a renowned dobro player, solo artist, and a key member of the acclaimed Americana trio, Red Molly. With her exceptional mastery of the dobro, her soulful voice, and her masterful storytelling, Abbie has earned a place as one of the most respected artists in the Americana and…
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Jack Summers - Weston Missouri's Song Farmer
You’ll hear my origin story with Missouri’s native son Jack Summers in this episode of the Tasty Brew Music podcast… a story with a familiar path. My introduction comes by way of plugged in Heartland music tastemaker Mike Paget of the Green Guitar Folk House Series. As a Boomer and lifelong lover...
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Deanna Ray - Americana with an Operatic Twist
Deanna Ray Eberhart Von Fange – what a regal sounding moniker! Deanna Ray, her “roots” music name, barely in her mid-20’s, presents as a fully mature artist. I was introduced to Deanna a couple of years ago by my colleague, and accomplished songwriter in her own right, Julie Bennett Hume. Deanna...
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Gullywasher (of Kansas City) - Rust Belt Revelations Part 1
#americanamusic #rootsmusic #tastybrewmusic Memories can be tricky…especially when you attain a certain vintage. While preparing this episode, I was hard pressed to remember the first time I met guitarist singer songwriter Chris Hudson and heard his indie Americana folk project…Gullywasher. Chris...
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Jennifer Roe - Folk Alliance International Executive Director
There is the classic movie or theater story line where the understudy of a lead role, or the staff employee at a company, gets the opportunity to assume the helm and shine. This episode’s guest, Jennifer Roe, is a living/breathing example of that life changing opportunity. Over the years, Roe...
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Crow and Gazelle - Deconstructing Separateness
As has happened quite often in the past 10 years or so, my curation of private showcase rooms at the Folk Alliance International Conference has yielded connections that provide continuing collaborations and opportunities for engagement. Case in point… Chrislyn Lawrence and Mike “Mac” McClure also...
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Cory Jackson - Classic Country with a Modern Flair
Although it has been decades, I DO remember how challenging and isolating it can be to move away during your 20’s from your hometown to accompany and support a spouse that is pursuing a promising job opportunity. Arkansas Native and Singer/Songwriter Cory Jackson did just that to support his...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Conversations and musical interludes with artists, industry professionals and supporters of the Americana/Global Roots Music scene. This podcast is curated by Diana Linn, Member of Folk Alliance International and the Americana Music Association, Host of the Tasty Brew Music Radio Show and Siren Song on 90.1 FM KKFI, and Co-Founder of the Heartland Song Network, Inc., a Kansas nonprofit dedicated to empowering the art of songwriting through education, collaboration and mentorship.
HOSTED BY
Diana Linn
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Tasty Brew Music have?
Tasty Brew Music currently has 139 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Tasty Brew Music about?
Conversations and musical interludes with artists, industry professionals and supporters of the Americana/Global Roots Music scene. This podcast is curated by Diana Linn, Member of Folk Alliance International and the Americana Music Association, Host of the Tasty Brew Music Radio Show and Siren...
How often does Tasty Brew Music release new episodes?
Tasty Brew Music publishes regularly with 139 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Tasty Brew Music?
You can listen to Tasty Brew Music on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Tasty Brew Music?
Tasty Brew Music is created and hosted by Diana Linn.
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