Inside the Musician’s Brain

Inside Musician's Brain

Chris Pandolfi of The Infamous Stringdusters dives in deeply with artists from bluegrass and beyond, to discover what happens in the minds of your favorite musicians.

All Episodes
from Inside the Musician’s Brain

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 40: Daniel Donato

    On this week’s episode, Chris chats with Daniel Donato. The guitarist from Nashville is taking the world by storm with his Cosmic Country, and just released his latest single “Hi-Country,” produced by Vance Powell. This is a fantastic conversation with an up and coming artist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 39: The Milk Carton Kids

    On today’s episode, Chris is joined by The Milk Carton Kids – a successful duo with a sound and energy that’s all their own. Much of the conversation revolves around the making of their brilliant new album, I Only See the Moon. After completing an initial version of the album, the band made the decision to…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 38: Mike Gordon

    Today Chris is joined by the one and only Mike Gordon – bassist, singer & songwriter for the legendary rock band Phish. Mike goes deep into his musical journey, his peak experiences on and off stage and the making of his excellent new solo album, Flying Games. He also gives us an inside look at…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 37: Alison Brown

    Alison Brown is a world-class banjoist, record label owner, and all around trailblazer in the music industry. Her performing/recording career has produced numerous amazing albums, collaborations, appearances and accolades. She’s also created a successful record label (Compass Records) and become a leader in the music industry. Alison’s excellent new solo album ‘On Banjo’ features an all…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 36: Sam Bush

    Sam Bush is one of the all-time legends of acoustic music. From his work with New Grass Revival, to Strength in Numbers and his prolific solo career, Sam has set the standard for mandolin in modern day roots music. He’s also a gifted singer and writer as well, with a long and storied career that intersects with…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 35: Lindsay Lou

    Lindsay Lou is one of the hottest up-and-comers on the roots music scene. She’s a powerhouse singer who covers a wide range of styles and has performed with countless artists as a special guest in recent years. Her new album, Queen of Time, puts her in the spotlight as a singer and as a songwriter as well.…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 34: Chris Funk

    In their more than 20 years as a band, The Decemberists have established themselves as an influential indie-rock band with an expansive and eclectic catalog of excellent music. Chris Funk’s multi-instrumental talents are at the center of their sound. Chris also works as a producer and has been a fixture on the Portland, OR music scene for years.…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 33: Chris Wood

    Chris Wood is a musical hero. In this talk he gets deep into his experience with music and all he’s learned over his long, successful career playing everything from cutting edge jazz with MMW to some of today’s best roots rock with The Wood Brothers. He unpacks the challenge of staying present, in music and…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 32: Rachael Price

    Episode 32 features an interview with the amazing Rachael Price, who is already making her mark as one of the best singers of her generation. Known mainly for her work with Lake Street Dive, she takes us inside her retro side project, Rachael and Vilray, as well as discussing LSD’s rise to success and their…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 31: MC Taylor

    Inside the Musician’s Brain is back for season 4!In this episode, Chris talks with MC Taylor, the man behind Hiss Golden Messenger. MC is a transcendent singer/songwriter, and Hiss has been gaining major notoriety in recent years for their blend of beautiful, timeless songs with vintage rock sounds. The conversation ranges from the process behind…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 30: Bryan Sutton

    This week on Inside the Musician’s Brain, Chris is joined by guitar master Bryan Sutton. For years, Bryan has been one of the most sought after session musicians in Nashville, appearing on albums by Taylor Swift, Garth Brooks, Brad Paisley, Dolly Parton, Béla Fleck and many more. Eventually he stepped out as a solo artist,…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 29: Madison Cunningham

    Episode 29 of Inside the Musician’s Brain features rising musical star Madison Cunningham. Madison has quickly been making a name for herself as an exceptional singer, songwriter and guitar player. She takes us through her unique introduction to music at an early age, her influences, her process, and how she dealt with the untimely shut down…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 28: Maggie Rose

    On this episode of Inside the Musician’s Brain, Chris’ guest is rock and soul powerhouse Maggie Rose. Maggie is an inspiration in so many ways, with an amazing story of perseverance and evolution through the different phases of her career. She discusses the obstacles that country music presented early on, and her transformation as an artist in the wake…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 27: Cory Wong

    Chris’ guest for Episode 27 is the talented and prolific Cory Wong. Some of you may know Cory as a member of the trendsetting funk/soul collective Vulfpeck. But in recent years he has also struck out on his own, releasing a staggering amount of music (11 albums in 2 years!) as well as some of the…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 26: Karina Rykman

    One this episode of Inside the Musician’s Brain, Chris talks to up-and-coming bass badass Karina Rykman. Karina has been playing bass with Marco Benevento’s band in recent years, but is poised to strike out under her own name, with a highly anticipated debut album on the way. She breaks down the vision and process behind her…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 25: Greensky Bluegrass

    On this episode of ‘Inside the Musician’s Brain,’ Chris sits down with Greensky Bluegrass to take an in depth look at their new album, ‘Stress Dreams.’ Learn what these songs are about and how they came to life as each member of the band breaks down one of the songs on their album. It’s a fascinating…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Nate Hilts

    On this week’s episode, Chris is joined by Nate Hilts, a member of The Dead South, a four-piece acoustic band from Saskatchewan. The band’s unique take on bluegrass has made them a live act not to be missed. Nate and Chris talk about the band’s 4th album, “Easy Listening for Jerks, Parts I & II,”…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 24: Nate Hilts

    On this week’s episode, Chris is joined by Nate Hilts, a member of The Dead South, a four-piece acoustic band from Saskatchewan. The band’s unique take on bluegrass has made them a live act not to be missed. Nate and Chris talk about the band’s 4th album, “Easy Listening for Jerks, Parts I & II,”…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 23: The Infamous Stringdusters

    This week on Inside The Musician’s Brain, you get the opportunity to take a leap into not one, not two, but five musician’s brains! That’s right, today’s episode features Chris talking with the other members of The Infamous Stringdusters to introduce their new album, Toward the Fray. During their conversations, Chris and the band take…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Béla Fleck

    Today, Chris has the opportunity to sit down and talk with bluegrass legend and master of the banjo Béla Fleck, who just released a new album titled My Bluegrass Heart. The two take an in depth look at this album, as well as taking a trip to the past to find out how Béla’s career…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 22: Béla Fleck

    Today, Chris has the opportunity to sit down and talk with bluegrass legend and master of the banjo Béla Fleck, who just released a new album titled My Bluegrass Heart. The two take an in depth look at this album, as well as taking a trip to the past to find out how Béla’s career…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Aoife O’donovan

    Hello and welcome to the third season of Inside The Musician’s Brain! We are thrilled to be back, especially with our first guest of the season, Grammy award-winning songwriter, musician, and Chris’ old friend Aoife O’Donovan. Along with releasing three critically-acclaimed solo albums, Aoife is the co-founder of the bands I’m With Her and Crooked…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 21: Aoife O’Donovan

    Hello and welcome to the third season of Inside The Musician’s Brain! We are thrilled to be back, especially with our first guest of the season, Grammy award-winning songwriter, musician, and Chris’ old friend Aoife O’Donovan. Along with releasing three critically-acclaimed solo albums, Aoife is the co-founder of the bands I’m With Her and Crooked…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Grahame Lesh

    For today’s season finale of Inside The Musician’s Brain, Chris is thrilled to welcome Grahame Lesh (Midnight North, Terrapin Family Band). The pair begin by discussing Terrapin Crossroads, the music venue/restaurant in San Rafael, California that was founded by his father and Grateful Dead member Phil Lesh. Grahame shares how it has served as the…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 20: Grahame Lesh

    For today’s season finale of Inside The Musician’s Brain, Chris is thrilled to welcome Grahame Lesh (Midnight North, Terrapin Family Band). The pair begin by discussing Terrapin Crossroads, the music venue/restaurant in San Rafael, California that was founded by his father and Grateful Dead member Phil Lesh. Grahame shares how it has served as the…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode19: Chris Eldridge

    In today’s episode, you get a double dose of killer interviews! First, Chris sits down with Craig Ferguson (Owner/Promoter for the Telluride Bluegrass Festival) to take you behind the scenes of how the legendary festival is planned and executed. The second interview is with Panda’s longtime friend and collaborator Chris Eldridge. The two discuss learning…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode. 19: Chris Eldridge

    In today’s episode, you get a double dose of killer interviews! First, Chris sits down with Craig Ferguson (Owner/Promoter for the Telluride Bluegrass Festival) to take you behind the scenes of how the legendary festival is planned and executed. The second interview is with Panda’s longtime friend and collaborator Chris Eldridge. The two discuss learning…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 18 – Molly Tuttle

    It’s time for another episode of Inside The Musicians Brain! In today’s episode, Chris talks with vocalist, banjo player and guitarist Molly Tuttle about her new EP of cover songs titled …but i’d rather be with you, her process for making this EP as well as her process in general, and Molly shares her journey with…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 17: Oliver Wood

    Welcome back to Inside The Musican’s Brain! After a few weeks off, Chris is back with a fresh new episode featuring an interview with his friend Oliver Wood (Wood Brothers). Today, Chris begins by taking us through some state-altering breathing exercises that he has been digging recently. Getting into the interview, Oliver discusses how weird…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 16: Sara Watkins

    Today on Inside the Musician’s Brain, Chris begins the episode by sharing his thoughts about music genres, why we have them, and why they don’t really matter. The episode continues with Chris talking with successful singer-songwriter Sara Watkins (Nickel Creek, I’m With Her) about creating her first concept album and how it came to be.…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 15: Ronnie McCoury

    In today’s episode of Inside the Musician’s Brain, Chris takes time to share his optimistic views and thoughts about the timeline for live music coming back this year. He also shares an interview with Ronnie McCoury (Del McCoury Band, The Travelin’ McCourys) that he taped in May of 2020, two months into the pandemic. During…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 14: Oteil Burbridge (Part 2)

    Chris’ interview with Oteil Burbridge (Allman Brothers Band, Dead and Company) continues with more conversation about playing the banjo and the thrill of having a beginner’s mindset while learning a new instrument. Oteil also shares memories from his time with Col. Bruce Hampton in the popular band Aquarium Rescue Unit and how the Colonel helped…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 13: Oteil Burbridge (Part 1)

    Today, Chris talks with Oteil Burbridge, the legendary bass player and member of bands such as Dead and Company, The Allman Brothers Band, and Aquarium Rescue Unit. They dive deep into Oteil’s spiritual awakening, the importance of family in his life, and what he thinks the future of touring will look like in a post-pandemic…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 12: Sarah Jarosz

    In today’s episode, Chris chats with acclaimed singer-songwriter Sarah Jarosz about ways she has stayed creative during the pandemic, her newest album World on the Ground, her songwriting process, and much more. Chris also takes time to highlight some of his favorite livestream shows that he recommends to check out.Sarah Jarosz is a Grammy Award…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 11: Goose

    Rick Mitarotonda and Peter Anspach are members of the popular indie-groove band Goose, whose fan base continues to grow even during this global pandemic. In today’s episode, Rick and Peter discuss the moment they knew they wanted to play music for a living and the origins of the band, Goose’s various virtual/socially distanced shows, their…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Season Two Trailer

    Welcome to season two of Inside the Musician’s Brain! We stoked to bring you a bunch more great interviews, with artists like Goose, Sarah Jarosz, Ronnie McCoury, Oteil Burbridge, Sara Watkins, and many more!Inside the Musician’s Brain is brought to you by Osiris Media and Americana Vibes. Hosted and Produced by Chris Pandolfi. Produced by…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 10: Tom Hamilton of Ghost Light and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead

    Tom Hamilton Jr. is a man of many talents and many endeavors, from Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, to Ghost Light to his new studio venture in Philadelphia. He gets deep into the art of producing, the challenge of reinventing yourself with successive projects and the story behind JRAD and their unintentional success. For information regarding…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 9: Dave Simonett of Trampled by Turtles

    Dave Simonett is the lead singer and primary songwriter for one of the most popular acoustic bands of the last 10 years, Trampled by Turtles. His powerful, heartfelt songs have come to define the Trampled sound, engaging legions of fans and energizing huge live crowds across the country. Inside the Musician’s Brain is presented by…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 8: Bill Nershi (part 2) and Andy Falco

    Bill Nershi is a founding member of the String Cheese Incident, one of the most influential rock/acoustic/jam bands in recent history. Andy Falco is a powerful and versatile player who has made his mark as the guitar player and one of the vocalists for the Infamous Stringdusters.Inside the Musician’s Brain is presented by Osiris Media—which helps…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 7: Paul Hoffman (part 2) and Trout Steak Revival

    This episode features two interviews. The first is part 2 of the interview with Paul Hoffman, the mandolin player and lead singer/songwriter for the jamgrass juggernaut Greensky Bluegrass. The second interview is with Trout Steak Revival, a Colorado-based string band with great songwriting chops and a dynamic, modern sound that is drawing much attention.Inside the Musician’s…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 6: Holly Bowling

    Holly Bowling is a classically trained piano player who made a name for herself crafting and performing impeccable transcriptions of the music of Phish and the Grateful Dead. These days she is a member of the up and coming rock band Ghost Light, a highly innovative group that mixes heavy grooves and ethereal textures on a growing…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 5: Bill Nershi

    This episode features an interview with Bill Nershi, a founding member of the jam world juggernaut, the String Cheese Incident.String Cheese Incident have been breaking down musical barriers for 25 years, blending bluegrass, jazz, rock, latin, electronic, etc, and have built a huge grassroots following in the process. Bill and Chris get deep into musical…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 5: Bill Nershi part 1

    This episode features an interview with Bill Nershi, a founding member of the jam world juggernaut, the String Cheese Incident.String Cheese Incident have been breaking down musical barriers for 25 years, blending bluegrass, jazz, rock, latin, electronic, etc, and have built a huge grassroots following in the process. Bill and Chris get deep into musical…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 4: Jon Stickley & Kitchen Dwellers

    Episode 4 features interviews with 2 notable artists. First up, the Kitchen Dwellers are a young jamgrass band from Montana with a vibrant new record of original music that has just come out—Muir Maid (produced by host, Chris Pandolfi), and a growing fanbase who love their raw power and catchy songs. Our next guest, Jon Stickley,…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 3: Sierra Hull

    Sierra Hull is a mandolin virtuoso, and a gifted singer/songwriter who is on the cutting edge of modern acoustic music. Her career started as a child prodigy in the bluegrass world, but Sierra is already evolving into an amazingly versatile artist with her own distinctive voice. She gets into Béla Fleck’s advice as a producer, the…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 2: Billy Strings

    Billy Strings is a rising young star in the bluegrass world. He and his band have made a serious impact in recent years, touring across the country, selling out shows, and bringing many new ears to acoustic music. With recent wins at the International Bluegrass Music Association for ‘Guitar Player of the Year,’ and ‘New…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 1: Paul Hoffman part 1

    Paul Hoffman is the lead singer and mandolin player with Greensky Bluegrass, one of the most prominent bands on today’s live music scene. His powerful songwriting, combined with the band’s unique approach to stringband music, has created a broad appeal that’s opened the door to music fans of all different genres. Greensky has been around for…

  • Inside Musician's Brain

    Episode 0: Trailer

    Previewing Inside the Musician’s Brain.

Osiris Podcast Network Logo Wide

Osiris is a global community connecting passionate music fans with podcasts about music, artists, and culture. Learn More 

Browse Podcasts

See the latest episodes