Self-serving notice: I will be opening Jenny’s video release party April 7th at The Studio in Parker. Ticket information is posted below. Come join us for live music, full band, full bar and the premiere of Jenny’s music video for “Don’t You Tell Me What to Do.”

My name is Alex Rhodes, and this is the aptly named Alex Rhodes Show, featuring independent artist interviews, their songs and sometimes even live performances. We talk about the art, the music, the deep stuff, how it all relates to marketing, and in the space between, we chat all around silliness.

This show airs LIVE each week  on KPEO.org, World Community Radio Mondays from 7-9 MT (that’s 9-11 ET, 8-10 CT and 6-8 PT), but for you modern day listeners who don’t believe in appointment-based entertainment, I edit the radio show to podcast form every week…most weeks.

Welcome to Episode 8. This is the last episode for Season 1, and I’m excited because I’m talking with country music artist, Jenny Shawhan.

Growing up in Mooresville, Indiana and now living in Denver, Shawhan was influenced early by her grandmother’s hymns and her dad’s love of country radio. She started playing piano at age 7, then quickly discovered her voice singing in the school choir. After high school, she went to Nashville’s Belmont University where she began exploring her craft, gained professional experience and started writing her own songs. 

Not long ago, Jenny Shawhan had an epiphany. It was deliberate and it was life changing. That moment of enlightenment flavors every song on her new album, Don’t Be Afraid. Released in July 2021.

“I shifted my outlook,” the Colorado-based singer says. “I started opening up to more ease and support instead of believing everything had to be so hard.” 

Her newly-adopted mantra couldn’t have come at a better time. 2020 began with Shawhan facing life as a single woman for the first time since college. And like every other American, COVID put an end to socializing on any level. 

“I’m not saying I haven’t had low moments, but I took the time to rest, to write and surrender to what was happening.” 

Now 40, Shawhan is looking at herself in a way that was impossible when she was a young music student in Nashville. 

Comparisons have been made from Bonnie Raitt and Melissa Etheridge to Alison Krauss and Dolly Parton, but Shawhan is no copycat. Her music is, rather, a blend of influences that she presents honestly and without pretension. 

Produced by award-winning producer/engineer/ steel guitarist John Macy (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Los Lobos). He enlisted veteran guitarists Justin Weaver (The Chicks, Wynonna, Josh Turner) and Chris Leuzinger (Garth Brooks, George Strait, Randy Travis) and keyboardist Pete Wasner (Vince Gill, Alison Krauss, John Prine) along with Shawhan’s rhythm section of bassist Alex Goldberg and drummer Ryan Elwood. 

You can find Jenny online at jennyshawhan.com, and on the Facebooks and the Grams at jennyshawhan.

My guest today is Ian Mahan, a Denver-based singer/songwriter, Tae Kwon Do expert and all around nice guy.

Ian has performed with notable artists such as Leon Bridges, Vanessa Carlton, Howie Day, Lisa Loeb, The Rocket Summer, Parachute, Stu Larsen, Tyler Hilton, Christina Perri, Lewis Watson, James McCartney, and Joe Brooks. 

His song "Forever In Your Heart" was featured in the Hallmark movie “The Christmas Doctor.”

Ian spent a decade writing and performing music for the sole purpose of connecting to his audience. His acoustic-style songs, with melodies ranging from mellow to upbeat, are marked by characteristic lyrical vulnerability. 

Though he attended piano lessons from a young age, Ian did not find his true instrumental passion until his 18-year-old self picked up a guitar. Ian’s high school and college years were spent exploring music in the form of countless different bands, ultimately, establishing himself as a solo artist in 2008. We talk about those days in this interview.

In 2017, Ian’s six-song EP, “Rockford,” showcases his evolving musical style grounded in emotional transparency and whispery acoustics. 

You can find Ian on Instagram at @itsianmahan and online at ianmahan.com. 

My guest today is Seth Beamer, a Denver-based bassist, musician, music teacher and photographer slash videographer. 

I first met Seth when I was looking for a bassist in a trio I was starting. He jumped right in and even had some great insight into arranging the songs we were playing. 

Seth has played in numerous bands around Denver, including Wildermiss.

He’s a bassist, guitarist, pianist, drummer and violinist. I mean, he could be his own backing band. 

We talk about learning all those instruments, his advice to parents of young musicians, his approach to songwriting, photography 101 and the metaverse. What? Yeah, maybe we’re in a simulation right now…maybe not, BUT regardless, this episode has a lot going on, so let’s get started listening to the world premier of his latest song!

He’s been featured in 303 magazine’s “Music You Should Know” and was a finalist in the 2020 Ullrgrass Troubador Contest.

A  self-described “late bloomer”, is hellbent on catching up with his own songwriting ambitions. Over the last decade, Moffatt has taken his latent knack for songwriting and turned it into a full-fledged pursuit manifesting into a handful of notable releases. His debut EP, Here And Now Is Home, was nominated for “Folk/Contemporary Album of the Year” by the Washington Area Music Association (D.C.). And the song “Demons On Your Sleeve” was given an Honorable Mention by the Songwriters Association of Washington. While residing in the nation’s capital, Moffatt performed at notable venues including IOTA Club And Cafe, The Hamilton, and The Smithsonian’s Luce Center.

If you’re a songwriter wondering why you have that urge, the itch you can’t seem to scratch, this is the episode for you. John and I discuss the responsibility songwriters have, where to find inspiration, how to act on it, and he talks about how his process changed after a brain injury he sustained in 2019.

John has toured extensively as a solo artist and most recently has been captivating audiences with his new band of talented young front range players.

Awards:

- Telluride TroubadourHonorable Mention 2015, 2019

- UllrGrass Troubadour Finalist 2019, 2020

- COMBO Songwriting Contest Winner ’14, ’15, ’17  

Songs placed in Award Winning Films:

- Grandpa's In The Tuffshed

- Dead Last, A Tale of Triumph

- Free Boulder 

Ellsworth released her debut album, ELLSWORTH, in 2021, and it’s available now on all streaming platforms.

The album features her dreamlike vocals, bright melodies and ruminative lyrics. Matt Hoffman at Hoffman Melody Shop in Denver, CO did a masterful job producing and arranging the tracks on the album, and it was Mixed and Mastered by Ben Pisano.

ELLSWORTH has been compared to top tier artists such as Regina Spektor and Angus & Julia Stone with her melancholic flair on the folk genre. Her award winning song, "Close the Door" serves as an anthem for listeners who search for meaning in music. ELLSWORTH is a story of self-love and encapsulates what happens when true talent finds their voice (Evangeline W., Freelance Music Reviewer).

Support the Alex Rhodes Show in a non-monetary way, give this podcast or video a like or 5 star review. If you want to support me in a monetary way, head on over to alexrhodesshow.com and be unique: buy a CD. I appreciate it. 

Also, this show is taped LIVE every Monday night on KPEO.org from 7-9 MT. Tune in LIVE!