Michael Kinkle aka The Kink joins me at the venue he is books at, West End in Fayetteville, Arkansas. We took a deep dive into the state of the music industry, we covered his multiple new releases from his solo venture, as well as a collaboration with Caroline Mendoza.

We also discussed AI's place in art, and we went over the upcoming shows during Arkansas Music Week 2026 and some great things going on there in September and beyond.

00:00 Intro

00:43 Introducing The Kink & his music projects

02:11 Eureka Springs Music Venues

03:11 Arkansas Music Week and Upcoming Shows

06:05 About West End in Downtown Fayetteville

08:45 AI Artwork 11:23 NorthWest Arkansas Music Scene in 2026

12:35 The battle of live music and keeping venues alive

---

Thanks for listening to BeatsByTravis!

Subscribe, rate & review wherever you get your podcasts — it really helps the show grow.

Follow the journey:

🌐 BeatsByTravis.com

📸 Instagram: @BeatsByTravisPodcast | @OfficialTravisSmith📧 Email: Travis@TravisSmithProductions.com

#BeatsByTravis #BBT #MusicBusiness #DIYMusic #CreativeLife

Robert Locke (Arkansas Music Experience, Joe Holmes Band) is one of my best friends, is one of the best singers you will ever hear, can rattle off more Arkansas music knowledge that most folks I’ve met, and is a connector in the Arkansas music community.
On this episode, Robert joins us to talk about his music career, our work together in Arkansas Music Experience, the upcoming Arkansas Music Week taking place in Fayetteville, Arkansas on August 23-30, The Music Industry Meetups, Film and movies in Arkansas, and so much more.
Arkansas Music Experience - https://www.arkansasmusicexperience.com
00:00 Intro
02:25 Introducing Robert Locke
08:13 Shindig Music
10:00 About the Arkansas Music Experience
18:00 Arkansas Music Week & It’s Programming
43:00 Music Industry Meetup
50:12 Film & Music Connection
BeatsByTravis.com
@Beatsbytravis
@Beatsbytravispodcast
#BBT #BEATSBYTRAVIS
Produced by TSP (www.travissmithproductions.com)

n this episode, Spida aka Spida Verse aka SpidaCrazy8 joins me to talk about his spida-web of music industry work spanning from artist management, product and business promotion, and even being a writing and performing artist. He has worked with his team to put the NW Arkansas Rap & hip-hop scene on the map. From local showcases and concerts to large-scale national-act productions, Spida has been bridging the gap between NW Arkansas and the world. It was great to sit and get his perspective on our local, regional, and global music scene.
Spida - https://www.instagram.com/spidacrazy8/

BeatsByTravis.com
@Beatsbytravis
@Beatsbytravispodcast
#BBT #BEATSBYTRAVIS