It's okay to want the big dream. The trick is learning to hold it loosely.

Chris Hutton graduated right before the world shut down, and he rebuilt his music career one piece at a time: teaching, vocal production, session work and songwriting. In this conversation from the archives, he names the quiet trap so many singers fall into, wanting nothing so nothing can let you down, and shares how he's learning to want things again. Still true today.

🎧 In this episode

• A working singer's career is rarely one job. It's a mix of teaching, production, session work and live gigs, and that mix is what keeps the music going.
• Being "defensively apathetic" can feel safe, but it quietly shuts down the part of you that dreamed in the first place.
• You can chase a dream with your whole heart without needing it to define your worth.
• Singers are storytellers first. Technique serves the story, not the other way around.

About Chris Hutton

Chris Hutton is an LA-based singer, songwriter, vocal producer and voice teacher. In this 2021 conversation, he had worked with LA contractors including Tim Davis, collaborated with Grammy-nominated producer Bruce Vanderveer on his single "Rewind," and held a bachelor's in commercial music from Biola University.

Moments worth your time

• 02:13 — "Rewind": a shower idea that took off on TikTok
• 05:45 — Writing a song from the other side of the relationship
• 12:17 — "Between like 3 and 6 and a half different jobs": what a working singer's week really looks like
• 25:11 — The wingback chair, the baritone, and the "pick a lane" speech
• 33:58 — Why singers are storytellers before they're technicians
• 41:52 — Not knowing what a demo was until after graduation
• 47:52 — Learning it's okay to want things, and to hold them loosely

"I'm gonna chase it, but I'm not gonna chase it because I, I need it." — Chris Hutton

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Pay yourself first, even if it's fifty dollars a gig.

Keyboard player and producer David Yuter and hip-hop artist Raymond Harper join me for a candid conversation about musicians and money: learning to say no, writing something every day, why finances feel like such a touchy subject, and the simple habit of paying yourself before anyone else.

A note before you listen: this conversation was recorded in 2021. Part of it covers investing ideas the guests were excited about at the time, and a lot has changed since. Nothing in this episode is financial advice.

🎧 In this episode

• You don't always have to be the yes guy.
• Write something every day, even a single line, or the idea is gone.
• Pay yourself first: a small, automatic “life tax” on every gig.
• Musicians can make a great living. Start by believing it's possible.

About David Yuter & Raymond Harper

David Yuter is a San Diego keyboard player and producer who plays upwards of 150 shows a year and works in artist development. Raymond Harper is a hip-hop artist and songwriter from Detroit, an Army veteran now living in Los Angeles.

Moments worth your time

• 02:16 — From Detroit lunch tables to the Army to Hollywood
• 03:15 — Learning not to be the yes guy
• 07:24 — Write something every single day
• 09:55 — Why money feels like a touchy subject
• 35:27 — Yes, musicians can make a great living
• 39:15 — The life tax: paying yourself first
• 1:00:27 — Parting words: it's all a mindset

“If you get $300 for a gig, take $50 and put it in this side account.” — David Yuter

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Sometimes the most serious lesson shows up in the middle of a game night.

Recorded a few months into the shutdown, this one is pure play: one-word check-ins, guilty-pleasure music, would-you-rather (singer's edition), and a running joke about falling down a well. Along the way, Mariela Contreras and Veronica May get honest about the songs they're tired of, promoter pressure, and what it means to sing what you love. Still true today.

🎧 In this episode

• Laughter is part of the work. Rest and play keep your love of singing alive.
• Notice which songs you reach for when nobody's requesting anything.
• Original shows can feel exposing. That's part of why they matter.
• Showing up early still says a lot about you as a pro.

About Mariela Contreras & Veronica May

Mariela Contreras and Veronica May are singers, songwriters and teachers, and both have been guests on the show before. Mariela was writing songs for an EP; Veronica was teaching virtually and planning new recordings with San Diego friends.

Moments worth your time

• 01:43 — One word for how you're feeling, and one thing to brag about
• 03:34 — Putting on a real shirt for Zoom
• 10:27 — Would you rather play naked, or with a set you don't know?
• 19:54 — Ten minutes late or twenty minutes early?
• 24:54 — The song you dread singing
• 28:06 — “Why have I been singing the songs I don't want to sing?”
• 36:06 — Asleep at the gig: accompanist or audience?

“why have I been singing the songs that I don't want to sing?” — Mariela Contreras

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A pay conversation isn't a fight over scraps. It's the first conversation of a working relationship.

Jamila Ford has spent years asking working singers how they actually make it work. In this conversation from the archives, recorded as live music was coming back, we talk about gigs that had gone stale, voices that needed waking up, and how to talk about money without walking in scared. Still true today.

🎧 In this episode

• Fear makes you negotiate like this is the last gig on earth. Clarity lets you ask for what's fair.
• A low offer can be a creative conversation: a run of dates, a future raise, terms that work for both of you.
• Rest is good for the voice, but if you don't use it, you lose it. Keep it active.
• When a student cries mid-song, it often means they've finally connected to their body.

About Jamila Ford

Jamila Ford is a singer-songwriter, vocal coach and background vocalist, and the host of The Working Singer podcast, where she interviews full-time professional singers about how they build their careers. She teaches singers of all levels to get into their bodies and develop their tone.

Moments worth your time

• 01:50 — Coming back to live work: how the reopening feels
• 05:18 — When gigs go stale, and how a break brought the joy back
• 10:27 — Too much rest, a nebulizer, and getting the voice back
• 14:31 — Saying yes to everything after a long drought
• 18:10 — Venues crying poor: renegotiating without going backwards
• 23:24 — From “fearful little animal” to creative negotiator
• 49:39 — When a new student bursts into tears mid-song

“I just came like a fearful little animal.” — Jamila Ford

Curious where your career momentum is leaking? The Singer Momentum Snapshot ($47) shows you what deserves your attention first.

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Your voice is more than sound—it’s a key to building a life filled with purpose, connection, and creative sustainability.

In this heartfelt episode, Danielle Tucker brings back the insightful Vangie Gunn-Goodwin for a conversation that moves beyond music into identity, resilience, and honoring your own worth as a working vocalist. Together, they unpack the real-world lessons of navigating a creative career through both stillness and surges, and explore how to build a more sustainable, joyful path as a singer.

🎧 In this episode:

• Rest isn’t just a break—it’s how you rediscover who you are beyond the hustle, fueling both artistry and life 03:04.
• Reimagining gig life means being intentional about what you accept—your time, energy, and talent truly matter 37:00.
• Saying yes to rest, family, and boundaries doesn’t mean you’re less driven; it means your momentum is rooted in clarity—not burnout 38:00.
• Visibility and value go hand in hand: knowing your worth allows you to set rates and boundaries that create both impact and stability 53:00.

About our guest:

Vangie Gunn-Goodwin is as pro as they come—a powerhouse session singer, accomplished songwriter, performer, voiceover artist, and educator with credits spanning Disney, CBS, Fox, American Dad, Family Guy, and much more. A fearless creative and industry veteran, Vanjie Gunn exemplifies what it means to lead with your voice while cultivating personal growth, authenticity, and balance in a demanding industry.

Moments worth your time:

• 03:04 ([03:04]): Vangie Gunn-Goodwin reflects on the unexpected gifts of forced downtime.
• 06:31 ([06:31]): Drive-in concerts, at-home gigs, and creative solutions to keep connection alive.
• 10:46 ([10:46]): Turning travel stories and music adventures into fresh visibility.
• 22:15 ([22:15]): Embracing new ways to create and work globally.
• 37:00 ([37:00]): Vangie Gunn-Goodwin and Danielle Tucker get candid about learning to say no, re-centering on values, and building a future on your terms.
• 53:00 ([53:00]): Shifting from apologizing for your rates to embracing your expertise and impact.
• 01:03:00 ([01:03:00]): How to keep gratitude, self-trust, and joy at the heart of your craft.

Standout Quote:

"Honestly, that's another thing that I'm just barely learning at my age is I'm valuable—and it’s not just about the money...it’s about the people, the event, the purpose, and that’s the deciding factor."

Ready for your next level of unstoppable?

Discover your unique edge with the Singer Momentum Snapshot—a deeply insightful $47 assessment designed to pinpoint your strengths, clarify your next strategic moves, and help you build a thriving, purpose-driven singing career. Step out of uncertainty. Step into your potential.

Let’s build something sustainable—together.

Your audience isn't out there somewhere waiting to be found. It starts with the people already in front of you.

Jennifer McGill grew up on the Disney Channel's All-New Mickey Mouse Club, and her shows today run off a little Bluetooth speaker with hand-drawn signs tacked on the wall. In this conversation from the archives, she shares how she turned listeners into a true community, and why chasing the big numbers first gets the order backwards. Still true today.

🎧 In this episode

• A small, homemade show can build deeper connection than a polished one, because people feel invited in.
• Calling your listeners family isn't a branding trick. It changes how you treat them, and how they show up for you.
• Start with your first sphere of influence (the coffee shop, the church, the bookshop) and build out from there.
• If you aren't seeing revenue early on, that's normal. The calling is building your audience and your culture.

About Jennifer McGill

Jennifer McGill began her career as a Mouseketeer on the Disney Channel's All-New Mickey Mouse Club and was there for every season. She is a singer-songwriter, speaker, worship leader and vocal and performance coach whose album Unbreakable includes a grown-up 2017 version of her MMC song "Hanging On for Dear Life." In this 2022 conversation, she was president of PCG Artist Development, where she helps prepare young artists for the business.

Moments worth your time

• 15:21 — Why she calls her listeners the Unbreakable Family
• 19:26 — The concert where the mic isn't even plugged in
• 27:21 — Start with your first sphere of influence
• 30:08 — "If your goal is fame and fortune, you're in the wrong business"
• 36:18 — A seven-year-old belter wins the talent crown
• 45:23 — Hiding behind the classroom door to meet the new Mouseketeers
• 51:34 — Why no training matched what the show taught her

"If you don't ask, the answer is always no." — Jennifer McGill

Curious where your career momentum is leaking? The Singer Momentum Snapshot shows you what deserves your attention first.

Explore more conversations and join the community at The Unstoppable Singer.

Confidence doesn't come before you use your voice. It comes from using it.

Kiyoshi was a shy, Bible-reading teenager writing what he calls "little corny raps." Today he's the MC who jumps off the stage and into the crowd. In this conversation from the archives, we talk about how belief gets built one rep at a time, why so many of us stop singing after one careless comment, and what it takes to create a room where people feel safe enough to be heard.

🎧 In this episode

• Belief in yourself often shows up after the practice, not before it. The more Kiyoshi honed his craft, the more he believed he had a place to speak.
• You don't have to become a different person to own the stage. Kiyoshi is "more reserved and chill" offstage and still steps into what he calls a "superhero version" of himself when he performs.
• One "don't ever sing" can quiet someone for twenty years, and a supportive, encouraging room can help bring that voice back.
• Stretching into something hard (fast verses, endless punch-ins, recording yourself) is where real growth and respect for the craft come from.

About Kiyoshi

Kiyoshi is a voice empowerment coach, MC, vocalist, musician and songwriter whose upbeat, conscious hip-hop blends rhythm, poetry and soul. He grew up in a musical household in Michigan, cut his teeth on poetry slams and open mics, and built his community in San Diego. In this 2022 conversation, he was coaching people through his 8-week online course Expand Your Expression, using poetry, "flowetry" and rap to help them break through fears and blocks.

Moments worth your time

• 01:13 — The church service where he jumped off the stage into the crowd
• 04:43 — From a music teacher's house in Michigan to the poetry slam stage
• 10:59 — How a shy kid became a dynamic showman
• 13:45 — Rap coaching and the vulnerability of Expand Your Expression
• 16:24 — Why so many kids stop singing, and how they find their voice again
• 25:37 — Building the "David Goggins" track one punch-in at a time
• 31:25 — A rapper's new respect for singers in the recording booth

"the more I was able to really believe that I did have a place to speak and, and that we're all worthy of sharing our thoughts and, and our voice and our skills." — Kiyoshi

Curious where your career momentum is leaking? The Singer Momentum Snapshot shows you what deserves your attention first.

Explore more conversations and join the community at The Unstoppable Singer.

You don't have to be ready for a door before you walk through it.

Connor Warren Smith's plan was a quiet, behind-the-scenes life in one corner of music. When that path closed, he started saying yes to whatever opened, even gigs he didn't yet know how to do. This conversation from the archives is a warm, practical look at how a career gets built one yes, one small gig and one honest phone call at a time. Still true today.

🎧 In this episode

• A steady music career lives in the wide middle between "starving artist" and superstar, and several quality income streams keep you okay when one goes quiet.
• Saying yes before you feel qualified is often how you find out what you're capable of.
• The small gig deserves your full 100%, because you never know who's in the audience.
• Being cut isn't a verdict on your talent. Sometimes you're just not right for that project, and the next one may be yours.

About Connor Warren Smith

In this early-2022 conversation, Connor is an LA-based performer, studio vocalist, arranger and composer whose voice appears in Spider-Man: No Way Home and Mulan, and on shows like American Horror Story and The Blacklist. He signed with Disney Music Group in 2018 and released an album with the a cappella group DCappella, and he reprised the role of Olaf in Disney California Adventure's production of Frozen. He studied music composition and earned a master's in conducting at CBU.

Moments worth your time

• 07:55 — Walking through the doors that are open to you
• 10:45 — "I don't know any Motown, but yes"
• 14:48 — The Nashville plan, and starting completely over
• 24:51 — Back in a room full of singers for Spider-Man
• 27:19 — Signed by Disney, then cut from the group
• 48:10 — How to back out of a gig without burning the bridge
• 50:44 — The unglamorous secret to vocal stamina: water and sleep

"I try to apply the same mentality of giving 100% of yourself to everything that you do, no matter how small you might think it is." — Connor Warren Smith

Curious where your career momentum is leaking? The Singer Momentum Snapshot shows you what deserves your attention first.

Explore more conversations and join the community at The Unstoppable Singer.