Best Josh Withers Podcasts (2025)

1
The Fearless Fela Kuti, with Jad Abumrad 1:56:37

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23h ago1:56:37

1:56:37

Writer, composer, and Peabody Award-winning podcaster Jad Abumrad joins Kirk to talk about Fela Kuti: Fear No Man, his new 12-part series on the life, music, and legacy of Afrobeat superstar Fela Kuti. DISCUSSED/REFERENCED: “Miryea’s Death” by Jack Nitzche from Revenge, 1990 “Prologue” by Alexandre Desplat from Birth, 2004 Excerpt from Port(al), mu…

1
Super Mario Bros: Koji Kondo's 8-Bit Masterpiece [Twenty Thousand Hertz] 33:03

15d ago33:03

33:03

This episode of Twenty Thousand Hertz originally ran in August 2025. Kirk's 2020 episode of Strong Songs about the music of Super Mario TWENTY THOUSAND HERTZ SHOW NOTES: This episode was written & produced by Casey Emmerling. From the springy jump sound to the iconic Overworld Theme, the sound of Super Mario Bros. is instantly recognizable. With ju…

1
Our Favorite TV Themes, with Leigh Sales 1:18:05

29d ago1:18:05

1:18:05

It's fun to talk about TV theme songs, so that's what Kirk and special guest Leigh Sales did. Does this episode need any more introduction than that? Probably not. Check out Leigh's wonderful podcast Chat 10 Looks 3 A YouTube Playlist of many of the themes discussed (and some they didn't get to) DISCUSSED/REFERENCED: The Office Theme - “Handbags an…

1
Strong TV Songs: HBO Edition [Recast] 1:08:44

1M ago1:08:44

1:08:44

Originally Aired October 20, 2020 The Wildlings are south of the wall, the robots are rising up, Seventh Kavalry's on the move, and two percent of the world's population has vanished. Time for another edition of Strong TV Songs! This time around the focus is on HBO, a network that has defined much of the broader TV landscape over the past couple of…

1
A Bob Dylan Beginner's Guide, with Matt Sitman and Sam Adler-Bell 1:54:17

2M ago1:54:17

1:54:17

With so many dozens of albums over so many wildly disparate eras, it can take a lifetime to truly get your arms around Bob Dylan. On this episode, Kirk is joined by two guests who have spent their lifetimes doing exactly that. Matt Sitman and Sam Adler-Bell, in addition to co-hosting the terrific political history podcast Know Your Enemy, are both …

1
Singing and Songwriting, with The Wailin' Jennys 1:11:03

2M ago1:11:03

1:11:03

The Wailin' Jennys have been singing together for more than two decades - recording albums, touring the world, and filling venues large and small. After all these years, the trio—Ruth Moody, Heather Masse, and Nicky Mehta—have reached both a plateau and an inflection point. What's it like for a musical group that's been together for that long; for …

1
It's hard for AI to describe a wedding photographer’s presence on the day 51:51

2M ago51:51

51:51

In this episode of For Those Of You Who Don't Know Me, I chat with photographer Joshua Mikhaiel about how the wedding world is changing and what that means for couples and vendors alike. We dive into the so-called “wedding tax,” whether AI has a real role in planning, and why personal touch always matters more than any tool. We talk about wedding p…

1
Talkin' Tower of Power, with Adam Maness and Peter Martin [You'll Hear It] 1:12:30

3M ago1:12:30

1:12:30

Back in May, Kirk joined pianists Adam Maness and Peter Martin of the You'll Hear It podcast to talk about what makes Tower of Power great. It was a very fun conversation, so he asked if he could run their episode in the Strong Songs feed. And here we are! Listen to You'll Hear It anywhere you find podcasts, and find both Adam and Peter (and many o…

1
So the invitation said 'we love your children, but' 45:37

3M ago45:37

45:37

Sarah-Louise Anderson reveals how her $60,000 micro-wedding sparked family feuds, severed friendships, and taught her which relationships were worth keeping—all over ginger beer and missing guests.By Josh Withers

1
A Song For My Father 39:33

3M ago39:33

39:33

THE APOCALYPSE WERE: Tony Capuano - Guitar, Lead Vocals John Shorb - Alto Sax Gene Meros - Tenor Sax Greg Novik - Bass, Backing Vocals (guitar on Stormy Monday) Oggie Hamilton - Drums, Backing Vocals Featuring The Apocalypse playing: “Good Good Lovin’” and “Try Me” by James Brown “Hi-Heel Sneakers" by Tommy Tucker “The Shadow of Your Smile” by Mand…

1
Playing Battleships with wedding photographers 38:51

4M ago38:51

38:51

Film photography is overrated, organic carrots don't make a good wedding, and Kiera Ryan from Creative Weddings Byron Bay chooses the three wedding photographers she would get if she was getting married this afternoon as she joins the first episode of my new podcast, For those of you who don't know me… Links from the episode: Bayleigh Vedelago wedd…

1
"Lean On Me" by Bill Withers 58:45

4M ago58:45

58:45

For the Season Seven finale, Kirk takes a look at Bill Withers' enduring hit "Lean On Me." In the process, he takes a broader look at a bunch of Withers' other most famous songs to better understand how this plainspoken, seemingly ordinary guy managed to write so many extraordinary songs. Written by: Bill Withers Album: Still Bill, 1972 Listen/Buy …

1
Bluegrass, Blue Prince, and the Blues 59:33

5M ago59:33

59:33

Kirk answers a bunch of listener questions on topics like bluegrass guitar, the music of Blue Prince, good apps for training theory skills, Robert Fripp's "Frippertronics," a mysterious sound on a Gene Clark song, different types of music notation, and the legacy of the blues. All that, and a trio of terrific singer/songwriters stops by the studio …

1
"Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" by The Police 1:00:16

5M ago1:00:16

1:00:16

In 1981, Sting brought a demo of a song he'd been working on down to AIR Studios in Montserrat to see what his bandmates thought of it... and they wound up keeping the demo and just recording their parts on top. The result was "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," an unusual Police song, but an enduring hit. On this episode, Kirk goes deep on eve…

1
"All The Things You Are" by Jerome Kern & Oscar Hammerstein II 59:47

6M ago59:47

59:47

The jazz standard "All The Things You Are" has been performed countless times by master jazz vocalists, 30s big bands, bebop small groups, hard-bop combos, modern deconstructionists, and even soon-to-be Kings of Pop. On this episode, Kirk takes listeners through the history of the now-famous tune, from its humble Broadway origins all the way to his…

1
"Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Jim Steinman and Bonnie Tyler 1:00:19

6M ago1:00:19

1:00:19

Turn around... every now and then I get a little lonely and the snare is sounding small Turn around... every now and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of sleigh bells Turn around... every now and then I get a little bit nervous that the cannons will not fire Turn around... ...every now and then Kirk decides to take on a classi…

1
Bluey, Background Jazz, and the 'Best' Metal Guitar Solo 1:08:00

7M ago1:08:00

1:08:00

How should you count The Police's "Bed's Too Big Without You?" Why do so many people revere Marty Friedman's solo on Megadeth's "Tornado of Souls"? What's going on with those pauses during the Bluey theme? And what the heck is that sound on Sly and the Family Stone's "Sex Machine"? Those questions and many more on the first mailbag episode of Seaso…

1
Fix pricing, not prices 1:10:33

7M ago1:10:33

1:10:33

Hannah, a new celebrant, has asked us to talk about pricing, prices, how to price yourself as a celebrant and whether it's ok to charge less when you're first starting out.

1
The Music of the Muppets 1:03:43

7M ago1:03:43

1:03:43

Kirk pays a visit the musical world of The Muppets, from their Sesame Street origins in the 60s to the globe-hopping, cinematic heights of the 70s and 80s, with plenty of detours along the way. FEATURING: "Sesame Street Theme" by Joe Raposo, Jon Stone, and Bruce Hart "Mah Na Mah Na" by Piero Umilliani from Sweden: Heaven and Hell "Pinball Number Co…

1
"Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)" by The Mars Volta 59:07

8M ago59:07

59:07

Kirk digs into one of the most dense and challenging records in his collection, with an analysis of "Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)" from The Mars Volta's 2003 progressive rock opus De-Loused in the Comatorium. Written by: Omar Rodríguez-López, Cedric Bixler-Zavala, and Jeremy Ward Produced by: Omar Rodríguez-López & Rick Rubin Album: De-Loused in t…

1
We have concepts of a plan 1:06:05

8M ago1:06:05

1:06:05

We delve into things you might need to know as a new celebrant joining the wedding industry - how to start and build a business, how to be friends with the rest of the industry, and how to be a better celebrant than you were yesterday. Let us know if there's anything you want us to talk about at [email protected]!…

1
"Fast As You Can" by Fiona Apple 52:41

8M ago52:41

52:41

Kirk digs into Fiona Apple's breakneck 1999 single "Fast As You Can," a cornerstone in her late 90s collaborations with Jon Brion, as well as her work with drummer Matt Chamberlain. Written by: Fiona Apple Produced by: Jon Brion Album: When The Pawn..., 1999 Listen/Buy via Album.Link ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED: Jon Brion in Performing Songwriter Mag…

1
"Where The Streets Have No Name" and "With Or Without You" by U2 59:24

8M ago59:24

59:24

Strong Songs Season Seven kicks off with two of the most famous songs ever recorded, from one of the biggest bands in the world. U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name" and "With or Without You" make up two-thirds of the three-song "suite" of hit singles that kicked off their 1987 album The Joshua Tree. As it turns out, the two songs have a lot to sa…

1
The podcast episode about the email about the regulations recorded on a school night 35:41

9M ago35:41

35:41

You probably got that email sent to all celebrants about the Marriage Regulations legislation and the "new" requirement in the code of practice regarding "reasonable and timely responses" to requests from marrying couples. This episode of the Celebrant Talk Show podcast also covers service contracts in regards to tropical cyclones approaching Brisb…

1
A Bunch of Great Music Recommendations 36:07

10M ago36:07

36:07

In between seasons, Kirk re-ran a bunch of old episodes and prefaced each one with a new music recommendation. He's taking those down recasts in preparation for season seven, but it seemed like a good idea to put all the music recommendations in one place. So that's what this episode is! DISCUSSED AND RECOMMENDED: "The Meadow" by Nickel Creek from …

1
Remembering Janis Stockhouse, The Great Band Director 56:39

11M ago56:39

56:39

In light of Janis Stockhouse's unexpected death at the tail end of 2024, we're re-posting Kirk's 2019 interview with her for anyone who might want to listen to it. Janis started teaching at North high school in Bloomington, Indiana, in the early 1980s. It was a time when "jazz education" as a concept was still a relatively new thing. She retired 38…

1
Would you rather less episodes recorded really well or more episodes recorded poorly like this one? 22:00

12M ago22:00

22:00

In this episode of The Celebrant Talk Show, hosts Josh Withers and Sarah Aird discuss a viral news story about a Melbourne man who illegally performed five weddings without proper certification. While battling their own technical difficulties with phone recording, they dive into the implications of fake celebrants, the extensive training required t…

1
The one recorded at 100 kilometres per hour 42:00

1y ago42:00

42:00

Join Josh Withers and Sarah Aird as they explore the critical world of data security for celebrants. Starting with a demonstration of iOS 18.1's new call recording feature, the conversation delves into the sensitive nature of marriage documentation and how celebrants can better protect their clients' data. Learn about the risks of digital storage, …

1
Charissa and Scott got up real high in their wedding 39:47

1y ago39:47

39:47

Enjoy this recording from the Insights series

1
Insights into Kim & Zac's Cronulla wedding 23:26

1y ago23:26

23:26

Enjoy this recording for the Celebrant Institute insights series

1
Insights into Madelin and Jeremy's Frogmore Creek wedding 41:56

1y ago41:56

41:56

Enjoy this recording from the insights podcast series

1
How Sharon and Adam chose Tim Maddren to be their celebrant and MC 30:10

1y ago30:10

30:10

Enjoy this interview from our insights podcast series on the Celebrant Institute

1
Listen to an AI podcast generator read the marriage laws 15:33

1y ago15:33

15:33

This podcast episode was generated with NotebookLM

1
They just decided to extend that to all weddings 58:52

1y ago58:52

58:52

Hello and thank you for having us back in your ears! This episode we're chatting about separate meetings, consent, and celebrant pricing. We really want to hear from you with anything you want us to talk about, or anything you might disagree with! Hit us up at [email protected]

1
Rediscovering Stevie Wonder, with Wesley Morris and Josh Gwynn 1:19:12

1y ago1:19:12

1:19:12

Kirk talks with Wesley Morris and Josh Gwynn about the endless world of Stevie Wonder. Morris and Gwynn are host and producer, respectively, of the brilliant new six-part podcast series The Wonder of Stevie. Check out Josh Gwynn's terrific pop culture podcast Back Issue, Wesley Morris's culture podcast Still Processing, and Morris' essential writin…

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Stevie Wonder: Music of My Mind [The Wonder of Stevie] 1:02:02

1y ago1:02:02

1:02:02

A cross-post of the first episode of "The Wonder of Stevie," a new six-part podcast series from Higher Ground and Pineapple Street Studios. It's a great show - find it on Apple, Amazon, Spotify... it's a podcast, you know the deal. Next week, we'll run a conversation between Kirk, host Wesley Morris, and producer Josh Gwynn all about what they lear…

1
Behind the Scenes of Strong Songs [Gig Gab] 1:08:33

1y ago1:08:33

1:08:33

Back in August, Kirk went on Dave Hamilton's music podcast "Gig Gab" to talk about music, Strong Songs, podcasting, and life. It was a fun conversation, and seemed worth republishing here. You can find the full show notes here, watch a video version here, and can check out Gig Gab at giggabpodcast.com or anywhere you get podcasts.…

1
Post-Season Update, Summer Plans, & Some Music Recs 30:48

1+ y ago30:48

30:48

An update on what's next now that Season Six is complete, along with some book and music recommendations! BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS The History of Jazz by Ted Gioia, 3rd edition - 1997, revised 2021 Guitar Zero: The New Musician and the Science of Learning by Gary Marcus, 2012 MUSIC RECOMMENDATION LINKS Steve Pardo - DOS - (also in Video Game form on St…

1
"Born to Run" by Bruce Springsteen 1:00:17

1+ y ago1:00:17

1:00:17

In the season six finale, Kirk takes a deep dive into Bruce Springsteen's signature song, 1975's "Born to Run." It's all here: tremolo guitar riffs, glockenspiel arpeggios, endless sus chords, and a sax solo for the ages. Baby, we were born for it. Written by: Bruce Springsteen Produced by: Springsteen, John Landau, and Mike Appel Album: Born to Ru…

1
Summer Synths, Fluteception, and "The Diablo Chord" 1:04:55

1+ y ago1:04:55

1:04:55

As Season Six draws to a close, Kirk opens up the Strong Songs mailbag to answer a bunch of listener questions on topics ranging from Diablo's use of lydian to what he means when he talks about "transcribing." REFERENCED/DISCUSSED: "Tristram" by Matt Uelman from Diablo, 1997 "Blast Inc. (feat. Jorgen Munkeby)" by Haunted Shores from Viscera, 2015 "…

1
The one about the remote witnessing becoming law 23:56

1+ y ago23:56

23:56

Today's episode is all about the Australian marriage law changes that came in to place on the 12th of June 2024. For more information read the blog post about it and the email out.

1
"Easter Theatre" by XTC 57:00

1+ y ago57:00

57:00

Stage left! It's time for Strong Songs to talk about XTC. Stage right! Now the song is picked, analysis can begin. Stand up! If we listen close, we'll hear some lovely notes... On this episode, Kirk takes the stage alongside "Easter Theatre," the first single off of XTC's 1999 experimental symphono-pop album Apple Venus: Vol. 1. Bring on the bassoo…

1
"Limb by Limb" by Phish 59:10

1+ y ago59:10

59:10

Phish may be known for their 30-minute live jams, but turns out you can distill their best qualities into a song one-tenth that length. To that end, Kirk picks apart and reassembles their 1998 studio recording of "Limb By Limb" in all its polyrhythmic, guitarpeggiated glory. Music by: Trey Anastasio, with Page McConnell, Mike Gordon & Jon Fishman L…

1
Sarah-Louise's trip to the wedding trail and her Maleny wedding 48:48

1+ y ago48:48

48:48

Take a preview at the Celebrant Institute Insights podcast offering by listening in to this preview of an episode where bride from the Sunshine Coast, Sarah-Louise, shares how she has planned her whole Maleny wedding with a FIFO (to South Africa!) groom, and why she chose Jay Flood as her celebrant. Visit celebrant.institute/insights to listen to t…