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Legendary author Joyce Carol Oates reads her poem “Too Young to Marry, but Not Too Young to Die” at a live performance in San Francisco organized by Poets and Writers Magazine. International pop star Katie Melua shares a studio recording of a song she wrote in response called "Forever Sunlit," and talks about her evolving creative process.The poem is about how what seems romantic to a young person looks increasingly laughable - even asinine - as we get older, and the artists each talk about what it means to be a teenager, and how their perspectives have shifted over time.This is the final episode of season three.SongWriterPodcast.com/Joyce-Carol-Oates-Katie-MeluaTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast 

Basic Folk is one of my favorite podcasts, and in this episode host Cindy Howes talks to Wesley Schultz about the history of The Lumineers up to now and his solo debut album.About Basic Folk:Basic Folk is a podcast with honest conversations between musicians and Cindy Howes, a well-versed public radio host and music curator, and guest host Lizzie No, a talented singer/songwriter. Basic Folk approaches interviews with warmth, humor and insightful questions. This podcast fosters the folk community and showcases a genre that is often misunderstood. Basic Folk features complex conversations about the human experience witnessed from an artistic angle. Our definition of “folk” is extremely broad, so you’ll hear interviews from Amythyst Kiah , John Hiatt, The Lumineers and many more.SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast

During a live online performance, bestselling author Jonathan Lethem reads from his recent “dystopian pastoral” novel, The Arrest, about a farming community dealing with the worldwide collapse of technology. Jonathan also speaks about his long history of writing lyrics for bands including They Might Be Giants and the Silos. Songwriter Tift Merritt shares a studio recording of a song called “Asylum in a Mad, Mad World” that she wrote in response to the story, but also reflecting the history of a former asylum in her hometown.SongWriterPodcast.com/Jonathan-Lethem-Tift-MerrittTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast

Author and artist Keith Rosson reads his story, "Forgive Me This," and songwriter Antje Duvekot shares a studio recording of her song written in response, "Lottery Ticket." Keith, who has illustrated covers for Green Day and the Goo Goo Dolls, talks about his design and art work, and how his partial blindness informs his approach. Antje talks about her strained relationship with her father, and describes the inspiration for her "confessional" song.SongWriterPodcast.com/RossonTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast

Veteran Jeremy Welch talks about his experience as a soldier, and his struggles with addiction, suicidality, and depression. Songwriter Maia Sharp talks about meeting Jeremy at a Songwriting With: retreat, and they describe the process of writing their song, "These Boots."Twitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast

Bestselling author and MacArthur genius George Saunders reads the first half of his story, "Tenth of December," about a man who wishes to spare his family from the suffering around his illness and impending death. George describes how he first thought of the story, and the several angles he tried before it came into focus. This is accompanied by a studio recording of a song written in response called "If You Need Me," by host Ben Arthur.For the second half of the story, and a brand new song by Grammy Award-winning songwriter Amanda Shires, please listen to part 2 (episode 9).SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast

Bestselling author and MacArthur genius George Saunders reads the second half of his story, "Tenth of December." George and Grammy Award-winning songwriter and fiddle player Amanda Shires (of The Highwomen) discuss art, suffering, and love over a lifetime. Amanda talks about the process of writing a song in response to the story, and shares a studio recording of "You Don't Get to Go."This is part 2 of the story. For the first half you can listen to part 1 (episode 8). SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast

Bestselling author Polly Samson reads an excerpt from her novel, A Theater for Dreamers, about a young woman's time on the Greek island of Hydra in the 1960s. Polly and her husband David Gilmour, of the band Pink Floyd, discuss their long collaborative relationship, and describe writing the song "Yes, I Have Ghosts" in response to a passage in the book.  David also talks about the process of finding inspiration for new music he wrote for the audiobook, and about collaborating with his daughter Romany Gilmour on the recording.SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast 

Lucia Berlin died years before her collection "A Manual for Cleaning Women" became an international bestseller. Berlin's friend and former student Elizabeth Geoghegan talks about her life, and reads her story, "Mama," and songwriter Rebecca Rego shares a studio recording of a song written in response.SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast

Author Nicholson Baker reads an excerpt of The Anthologist, and songwriter Rod Picott performs a song written in response called "Losing Faith." The two friends also discuss cross-arts explorations, self-doubt, and the importance of a good sandwich.SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast

Bestselling author Sarah Hepola reads an excerpt from her memoir "Blackout," and songwriter Matt the Electrician shares his own experiences with blackouts and studio recordings of TWO songs that he wrote in response.SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast

Author and veteran Odie Lindsey reads an excerpt from his novel, "Some Go Home." Odie's friend, Grammy Award-winning songwriter Mary Gauthier, talks about how she came to know him, and shares a studio recording of her song, "Then Go Home," written in response.SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast

Bestselling author Roxane Gay reads a piece called "Getting to Know You, Getting to Know All About You," about love in the pandemic, and making a home with her wife, Debbie Milman. Songwriter and actor Celisse Henderson talks about writing her song, and about properly understanding the work of rock pioneer Sister Rosetta Tharp. Songwriter, composer, and producer Toshi Reagon speaks about how she constructed her song, "You Belong," to echo the structure of Gay's piece, and about the connections between Tharp and pioneering writer Octavia Butler, whose novel, Parable of the Sower, Reagon made into an opera. This episode was recorded during a live performance co-produced with Harlem School of the Arts.SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast

Bestselling author Cheryl Strayed reads a very personal letter about her mother from her celebrated advice column "Dear Sugar," and songwriter Maia Sharp talks about a recent break-up and shares  a studio recording of her song "It's Always Good to See You."SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast

Season three of SongWriter will feature stories from George Saunders, Cheryl Strayed, Roxane Gay, and Joyce Carol Oates, and brand new songs from Amanda Shires, Tift Merritt, Celisse Henderson, and Mary Gauthier.

Actor, comedian, and bestselling author Michael Ian Black tells a true story about youth, privilege, and stealing, and songwriter Victoria Jones speaks on religious faith and on owning our mistakes.SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast

Environmental activist and cellist Ben Sollee tells a story about learning that his family sold their ancestral land to a coal company. Songwriter and rapper James Lindsey reflects on fatherhood, and shares a studio recording of his song “Hoop Sessions.”SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast 

Bestselling author Joyce Carol Oates reads a haunting story, and banjo legend Tony Trischka and songwriter Jennifer Marks each play songs written in response. The show was recorded at a live performance in New York City, with Grammy-nominated musician Tracy Bonham performing with Tony Trischka, and comedy legend Steve Martin in the audience.SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast 

Author Alison Gaylin reads an excerpt from "Never Look Back," a novel based loosely on the Starkweather murders. Gaylin discusses how Caril Ann Fugate was understood at the time to be a willing accomplice (she is portrayed that way in Springsteen's "Nebraska" and "Natural Born Killers," which were also based on the notorious murder spree), but points out that Fugate was just 14 years-old when she was kidnapped and raped by Starkweather.Songwriter Colin McGrath discusses the book, and how hard it can be to tell his young daughter the sometimes-awful truth. He plays "Dear Aurora Grace," his musical response to Gaylin's book.SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast

Lauren Morrill, who writes young adult fiction, tells a true story about adolescent infatuation and the humiliations it can cause. Acoustic guitarist Justin Cutway performs a song that he says was NOT easy to write, and rapper Vinson Muhammad performs a spoken word piece inspired by both Lauren and Lil' Wayne.SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast