Maya Hawke first became known to wide audiences as an actress — especially through her work in Stranger Things — but she's been quietly building a parallel life as a songwriter of genuine depth. Since her debut album Blush in 2020, she's released four records.

Her latest, Maitreya Corso, arrives at a pivotal moment: the album follows her marriage to longtime musical collaborator Christian Lee Hutson, and centers on a fictional persona through who Hawke explores ego, ambition, and the strange labor of making something. Recorded in Woodstock and New York City late last year, it's co-produced by Hutson and Jonathan Low, with cover art drawn from watercolors Maya painted herself.

On today's episode Justin Richmond sat down with Maya Hawke and her husband and co-producer Christian Lee Hutson live at SXSW to talk about the making of Maitreya Corso, and what it means to finally come together as partners in both life and work.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Maya Hawke and & Christian Lee Hutson HERE.

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In the latest season of Revisionist History, Malcolm Gladwell is looking at the origins and consequences of mistakes—why we make them, the context in which we make them, and what happens after we make them. Years ago a music producer named Irv Gotti—a hitmaker for Jay-Z, Ja Rule, and Ashanti—was tapped by Sony Music to make a record with Jennifer Lopez. They wanted a big hit. And Irv delivered. But then he made the biggest mistake of his career.

Find more episodes of Revisionist History wherever you get podcasts.

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The magic of Bruce Hornsby isn't just that he's one of American music's great piano stylists — or that he wrote one of the most unlikely pop hits of the 1980s, a song about racism with two improvised solos that nobody at his label thought should be the single. It's how relentlessly he's kept moving, long after he had any commercial reason to.

Hornsby grew up in Williamsburg, Virginia, and got discovered playing a steak and ale joint across from the Hampton Coliseum by Mike McDonald. He scored his first big hit in 1986 with "The Way It Is. What followed was a long, restless second act: teaching himself two-handed independence by scheduling benefit concerts just to give himself a hard deadline, making jazz records with Jack DeJohnette and Christian McBride, bluegrass records with Ricky Skaggs, and going deep into Shostakovich fugues that now shape everything he writes.

On today’s episode Bruce Headlam sat down with Bruce Hornsby at the piano to talk about all of it. But they started somewhere unexpected: a steak and ale restaurant in Hampton, Virginia, in the fall of 1978.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Bruce Hornsby HERE.

Time-coded chapters:

(01:26) Discovering Musical Influences 

(09:24) Success of “The Way It Is”

(15:51) Crafting Unique Sounds and Styles

(20:30) Collaborations and Songwriting Process

(26:40) Exploring New Directions in Music

(33:20) The Challenge of Musical Growth

(39:10) Jazz and Bluegrass Fusion

(44:47) The Art of Improvisation and Composition

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The magic of Dave Grohl isn't just that he's one of rock music's great raconteurs, or one of its greatest drummers and frontmen of the last thirty-plus years. It's the sheer number of lives he's gotten to live within rock and roll.

Dave started out drumming for Scream, one of DC's great, underrated hardcore bands, running in the same circles as Ian MacKaye and the Dischord crowd. Then he joined Nirvana and more than made his mark in one of the most consequential bands since the Beatles, and an indelible piece of Seattle's music story dates all the way back to Jimi Hendrix and Quincy Jones.

And then, as if that weren't enough: Foo Fighters. Which Dave Grohl essentially built by himself — Prince and Stevie Wonder-style — writing and recording nearly every note on the debut alone, save for some guitar from Greg Dulli of the Afghan Whigs.

On today's episode Justin Richmond sits down with Dave at the Foo Fighters' studio to talk about their twelfth album, Your Favorite Toy. But they start somewhere unexpected talking about a song from a cassette-only solo record in 1992 he made under the pseudonym "Late!" 

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Dave Grohl HERE.

Time-coded chapters:

(02:20) Recording first album, Pocketwatch

(05:58) Formation & collaborative spirit of Scream and the DC hardcore scene

(09:53) The Power of Live Recording

(20:07) Community in Music Today

(28:04) The Creative Process Behind Foo Fighters' New Album

(34:04) The Enduring Passion for Music

(36:15) Writing Through Life's Challenges

(37:48) Cooking as a Parallel to Music

(43:39) The Surprising Influences of Musicians

(48:42) Exploring Themes in New Music

(53:22) The Evolution of Musical Style

(57:21) Reflecting on Musical Journeys

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Wyclef Jean may just be the most wide-ranging rapper, producer, performer, and composer of his time. As the lead producer and MC of The Fugees, he helped craft their 1996 landmark album The Score, one of the best-selling hip-hop albums of all time. The following year he released his debut solo album, The Carnival, which included hits like "Guantanamera" featuring Celia Cruz, and the platinum-certified single "Gone Till November."

As a writer and producer for other artists, Wyclef is behind Whitney Houston's "My Love Is Your Love," Santana's chart-dominating "Maria Maria," Shakira's global smash "Hips Don't Lie," and Destiny's Child's breakout single "No, No, No."

This spring, Wyclef is releasing Clef Notes, Volume One of Quantum Leap — an ambitious seven-album solo project that unfolds over the next year. Each installment is seven tracks and zeroes in on a different genre, ranging from country and reggae to jazz, hip-hop, Haitian kompa, and beyond.

Today, we're bringing you a special episode: a live conversation recorded at the On Air Podcast Festival, where Justin Richmond was joined by special guest host Sam Sanders to sit down with Wyclef. They get into what it was really like in the studio with Whitney Houston, how The Fugees shaped their sound while recording The Score, and the wisdom Wyclef would pass on to his younger self about what makes a great creative collaboration.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Wyclef Jean HERE.

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Jessie Ware has always moved between worlds. She's a British soul singer who spent the early part of her career making intimate, understated records. Then, in 2020, she released What's Your Pleasure? and morphed into a full-blown disco goddess. The record received widespread critical acclaim, earned Jessie her first top-three album on the UK charts, and was nominated for British Album of the Year at the BRITs. Today Jessie traces that sonic evolution back to an especially ripe creative period in her life, when she launched Table Manners, the podcast she hosts with her mom Lennie. Table Manners has become one of the UK's most beloved shows, racking up over 60 million listens, and in turn gave Jessie a new kind of confidence.

This month Jessie is releasing Superbloom, her sixth album. As she has since What's Your Pleasure?, Jessie A&Rs the record herself, staying carefully in control of every creative decision. Her production team included core collaborator James Ford, the producer behind landmark records with Arctic Monkeys, Depeche Mode, Florence and the Machine, and Blur. As well as three-time Grammy winner Stuart Price, best known for producing Madonna's Confessions on a Dance Floor and The Killers' Day & Age.

On today's episode, Leah Rose talks with Jessie Ware about how Superbloom was born after a particularly difficult year filled with illness and loss, and how that led to an album that sounds like pure joy. Jessie also talks about channeling Grace Jones to slip into a sexy persona to record sultry new songs like "Ride" and "Sauna," and she explains how Minnie Riperton and Stevie Wonder inspired her to make her private life public like never before.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Jessie Ware HERE.

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Patrick Watson first came to international attention in 2007 when his album Close to Paradise won the Polaris Music Prize, Canada's most prestigious award for a Canadian album. Over the course of his career, the Montreal-based singer and composer built a devoted following through his orchestral pop arrangements, his remarkable voice, and live performances that blend intimacy with a theatric sensibility.

Watson's music has found a second life far beyond his core fanbase. His song “Je te laisserai des mots" became a viral phenomenon years after its release, accumulating over a billion streams after being discovered by a new generation on social media. His film and television work has brought his sound to audiences worldwide, including his score for the acclaimed French-Canadian series Les Pays d'en haut.

Today Bruce Headlam talks to Patrick Watson about making his playful and adventurous new record, Uh Oh—an album he recorded after recovering from a vocal chord hemorrhage on tour. Because of his injury, Patrick chose to feature a ton of guest artists on his new album in the style of hip-hop features. Patrick Watson and Ariel Engle, also known as La Force, kick off the episode with a beautiful live performance of the song, House On Fire. 

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Patrick Watson HERE.

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Charlie Puth is a meticulous songwriter whose knowledge of pop music runs deeper than your average chart topper. Charlie, who studied music production and engineering at Berklee College of Music, first gained widespread attention in 2015 with "See You Again," his collaboration with Wiz Khalifa for the Furious 7 soundtrack. The song earned him his first three Grammy nominations.

Since then, he's released hits like "Attention," "We Don't Talk Anymore," and "One Call Away," while also writing and producing for other artists, including co-writing and co-producing "Stay" for The Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber. His fourth album, Whatever's Clever!, comes out next month. It's his most honest work to date, and as he'll reveal on this episode, the songwriting is far more personal than anything he's released in the past.

On today's episode, Justin Richmond talks to Charlie Puth about making Whatever's Clever! and the process of recording a song with Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins. He discusses the clever way he convinced Kenny G to appear on the album. And he sits down at the piano to demonstrate how gospel chords always find their way into pop music, revealing the harmonic foundations that shape his songwriting.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Charlie Puth HERE.

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The Black Crowes are one of the great rock bands of the last 30 years, and now they're finally getting their flowers: a 2026 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nomination, alongside Lauryn Hill, Phil Collins, Wu-Tang Clan, and Oasis. To mark the occasion, we're re-running Justin Richmond's 2024 conversation with lead singer Chris Robinson, recorded around the release of their album Happiness Bastards.

In the interview, Justin and Chris get into what it was like growing up in Georgia with his brother Rich, their dad's rockabilly career, and how life on the road looks a little different these days — less champagne and substances, more Herman Melville.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Chris Robinsons HERE.

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Tommy Emmanuel is an Australian guitarist who has spent over six decades mastering the art of fingerstyle acoustic guitar. He's now widely regarded as one of the best acoustic players in the world.

Born in 1955, he received his first guitar at age four and he recalls that not long after he knew he wanted to dedicate his life to playing music. He left home to pursue his dream as a teenager and eventually became known for his remarkable ability to make a single guitar sound like an entire band—simultaneously playing bass, rhythm, lead, and percussion. In 1980, Tommy toured with Stevie Wonder as part of the opening act, an experience he's described as enlightening. He's since played hundreds of shows a year and collaborated with artists including Eric Clapton, Chet Atkins, and Tina Turner.

On today's episode, Justin Richmond talks to Tommy Emmanuel about his unique fingerstyle technique and how he developed the ability to make one guitar sound like multiple instruments. He tells the story of opening for Stevie Wonder in 1980 and walking in on him jamming with an early LinnDrum machine. And Tommy plays examples of his songs throughout the years, demonstrating the evolution of his remarkable approach to the acoustic guitar.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Tommy Emmanuel HERE.

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Rodney Crowell has been a fixture in Nashville's songwriting community for over 50 years. Born in Houston in 1950, he was influenced early on by songwriters Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt. In 1975, he joined Emmylou Harris' Hot Band as a guitarist and harmony singer, playing with her for three years. Rodney became known for his own work with his 1988 album Diamonds & Dirt, an album that made history by producing five consecutive number-one singles.

Over his career, he's written songs for Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Bob Seger, and countless others, earning him a place in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Last August, Crowell released his twentieth studio album, Airline Highway, produced by Tyler Bryant and recorded at Dockside Studio in Louisiana. Just a few months ago, Willie Nelson released What a Beautiful World, an entire album of Crowell covers.

On today's episode, Bruce Headlam talks to Rodney Crowell about making Airline Highway and the emotional experience of hearing Willie Nelson's tribute album. He discusses his formative years in Nashville's songwriting community. He opens up about his difficult childhood in Houston, including his mother's epilepsy and his father taking him to see Hank Williams perform when he was just two years old. And he talks about working with his ex-wife Rosanne Cash, and meeting his father-in-law Johnny Cash for the first time.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Rodney Crowell HERE.

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