George Croft’s American Music Show

GCAMS Episode 51: Bruce Wawrzyniak

Now Hear This President Bruce Wawrzyniak has been promoting for many years.  A cum laude graduate of Medaille University in Buffalo, New York, his background runs the gamut from marketing to broadcasting to public/media relations and promotions.  He has served industries such as sports/entertainment, radio/TV (on-air positions in both), and full-service (advertising/public relations) agencies.  He also taught a Promotions Techniques course to college juniors and seniors.  Bruce has dealt with (and been quoted by) national and international media.  Some of his successful story placements include USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and Sports Illustrated, to name just a few.
His résumé also includes video work and websites.  Plus, he has done numerous speaking engagements from Orlando to Nashville to Washington DC to Las Vegas to Los Angeles and points in between.  His work over the years has not only taken him throughout the United States, but, to more than 15 different countries.  He is a member of the Recording Academy, the Social Media Marketing Society, the American Marketing Association, The Podcast Academy, and can even be found on IMDb.
Contact the Now Hear This president today at bruce@NowHearThis.net.

GCAMS Episode 50: Don Henry

Grammy Award winner Don Henry's songs have been recorded by legends like: Ray Charles, Patti Page and Conway Twitty By country crooners like: Gene Watson, John Conlee and B.J. Thomas By young hit makers of today like: Blake Shelton, Lonestar and Miranda Lambert …. .....and the list goes on. And he’s shared the stage with performers as diverse as Joey Ramone to Keith Urban. The wit and wisdom of Don's songs are widely renowned whether it's campfire favorites, the hilarious "B.F.D." and biker lullaby "Harley", to the wonderfully poignant tribute to Martin Luther King "Beautiful Fool", and of course his Grammy Award winning country classic "Where've You Been". In addition to a Grammy, Kathy Mattea's version of "Where've You Been" won Don (and co-writer Jon Vezner) song of the year honors from ACM (Academy of Country Music), CMA (Country Music Association) and NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International). "Where've You Been" was the first song in country music history to be awarded all four honors in the same year! #gcams #countrymusic #interview #grammywinner #songwriting #podcast

GCAMS Episode 49: Garden Groove

Garden Groove is a high-energy tribute band dedicated to capturing the essence of Sublime’s iconic sound. Blending ska, punk, reggae, and rock, we bring the raw energy and laid-back vibes that made Sublime legendary. Our setlist spans fan favorites and deep cuts, delivering an authentic experience for both die-hard fans and newcomers alike. We keep the crowds dancing and singing along, providing an unforgettable tribute.

GCAMS Episode 46: Little Richard

Little Richard, born Richard Wayne Penniman on December 5, 1932, in Macon, Georgia, was one of the pioneering architects of rock and roll. The third of 12 children in a large family, he grew up immersed in gospel music through Pentecostal and Baptist churches, where he sang and played piano from a young age. As a teenager, he left home around age 14, performing on the Chitlin' Circuit (Black entertainment venues) and adopting his stage name while working in medicine shows and nightclubs. His breakthrough came in 1955 at J&M Studio in New Orleans, where he recorded "Tutti Frutti" for Specialty Records. The explosive track—with its pounding piano, raspy screams, frenetic energy, and iconic "A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop-a-lop-bam-boom!"—became a massive hit and helped define rock and roll. He followed with a string of classics in the mid-1950s, including "Long Tall Sally," "Rip It Up," "Lucille," "Good Golly, Miss Molly," and "Jenny, Jenny," blending rhythm and blues, gospel, and boogie-woogie into high-energy anthems that crossed racial lines and influenced countless artists. Known for his flamboyant style—pompadour hair, makeup, colorful outfits, and electrifying stage presence—he appeared in early rock films like The Girl Can't Help It (1956) and toured relentlessly. In 1957, during a tour, he experienced a spiritual crisis (including a plane scare), briefly retired from secular music to study theology, attend Bible college, and record gospel albums. He returned to rock in the early 1960s, with comebacks including live performances and hits like a 1964 version of "Bama Lama Bama Loo." His career saw ups and downs—more gospel phases, rock revivals, and occasional retirements—but he remained a dynamic live performer into later decades. He influenced generations, from The Beatles (who covered his songs and idolized him) to Prince, David Bowie, Elton John, and beyond. Little Richard was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 (as part of the inaugural class), received numerous awards for his lifetime contributions, and earned the nickname "the King and Queen of Rock and Roll" for his boundary-breaking persona and sound. He passed away on May 9, 2020, at age 87 in Tullahoma, Tennessee, from complications related to bone cancer. His legacy endures as a foundational force in popular music.

GCAMS Episode 45: David Crosby

David Crosby (August 14, 1941 – January 18, 2023) was an iconic American singer, songwriter, and guitarist whose distinctive harmonies and influential work helped shape folk-rock and classic rock. Born in Los Angeles to a cinematographer father and a musically inclined mother, Crosby began his career in the early 1960s folk scene before co-founding The Byrds in 1964. The band pioneered folk-rock with hits like their 1965 cover of Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man" (a No. 1 single) and classics such as "Turn! Turn! Turn!" He contributed to their first five albums before leaving in 1968 amid tensions. In 1968, he formed Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN) with Stephen Stills and Graham Nash — their self-titled 1969 debut won a Grammy for Best New Artist. The group occasionally expanded to Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (CSNY) with Neil Young, producing legendary albums like Déjà Vu (1970) and performing at major events like Woodstock. Crosby released his acclaimed solo debut If I Could Only Remember My Name in 1971 and later enjoyed a prolific late-career renaissance, releasing five albums between 2014 and 2021 (including Croz, Lighthouse, and For Free). He also formed the jazz-influenced trio CPR with his son James Raymond in the 1990s. His life was marked by significant challenges: severe drug addiction (heroin and cocaine) led to prison time in the 1980s, multiple arrests, and a life-saving liver transplant in 1994 due to hepatitis C. He battled diabetes, heart issues, and other health problems. Crosby was politically outspoken, a longtime cannabis advocate (he even launched his own brand), and fathered six children, including through sperm donation (two with Melissa Etheridge). Despite personal turbulence and sometimes strained band relationships, Crosby's angelic harmonies and songwriting left an enduring legacy — he's a two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee (with The Byrds and CSN). He passed away at 81 in Santa Ynez, California, after a long illness (reportedly following a bout with COVID-19). His music continues to inspire, with tributes and tribute shows still happening years later.

GCAMS Episode 44: Clarence White

Clarence White (1944–1973) was a groundbreaking American guitarist who transformed bluegrass and country rock. Born in Maine and raised in California, he rose to fame in the 1960s with the Kentucky Colonels, revolutionizing acoustic flatpicking with a powerful, melodic lead style inspired by Doc Watson. In the late 1960s, he became a top session musician, co-invented the B-Bender (StringBender) device for his Telecaster to mimic pedal steel bends, and joined The Byrds in 1968, shaping their influential country-rock sound. Tragically killed at age 29 by a drunk driver while loading equipment after a gig, White left a lasting legacy—inspiring flatpickers like Tony Rice and country-rock guitarists like Marty Stuart and Brad Paisley. He was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Association Hall of Fame.

GCAMS Episode 43: Tyler Johnson interview

Tyler Johnson is a world class videographer and musician. Based in Yuba City California, his company Tyler & Co. Marketing is changing the game when it comes to affordable high quality productions for businesses, families, and artists. He is also a phenomenal guitar player and is featured on two of my latest singles, "High Sierra Coming Down" and "To Be Enough". Follow him on Instagram @tylerandco_marketing , and visit his website tylerandcofilms.com.

GCAMS Episode 42: Porter Wagoner

Porter Wagoner (August 12, 1927 – October 28, 2007) was an influential American country music singer, songwriter, and television host from West Plains, Missouri. Born into a farming family in the Ozarks, he began performing early, signing with RCA Records in 1952 and scoring hits like "A Satisfied Mind" (1955). Known for his flashy rhinestone Nudie suits and blond pompadour hairstyle, he hosted the syndicated The Porter Wagoner Show from 1960 to 1981, which reached millions and launched careers. In 1967, he introduced Dolly Parton as his duet partner, leading to numerous Top 10 hits (including the #1 "Please Don't Stop Loving Me" in 1974); their partnership ended acrimoniously in 1974 but they later reconciled. A Grand Ole Opry member from 1957, he charted 81 singles and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2002. He died of lung cancer in 2007 at age 80.

GCAMS Episode 41: Chet Atkins

Chester Burton Atkins, known to the world as Chet Atkins, was one of the most important and beloved figures in American music. Born on June 20, 1924, in the small mountain community of Luttrell, Tennessee, he rose from a shy, asthmatic child who taught himself guitar by a wood-burning stove to become the architect of modern country music and one of the finest guitarists who ever lived. Atkins developed a revolutionary fingerstyle technique that used a thumbpick for steady bass lines while his fingers played melody and harmony simultaneously. This approach, which he refined by listening to Merle Travis, Django Reinhardt, and classical records, allowed one man and one guitar to sound like a small ensemble. His playing was precise, warm, and effortlessly musical; critics often said he made the guitar “sing.” Throughout the 1950s and 1960s he recorded a string of instrumental masterpieces—“Mr. Sandman,” “Yakety Axe,” “Freight Train,” “Windy and Warm,” and “Country Gentleman”—that crossed over from country to pop charts and earned him the lifelong nicknames “Mr. Guitar” and “The Country Gentleman.” Yet Atkins’s influence extended far beyond his own performances. As a staff guitarist at RCA Victor in Nashville and eventually vice president of the label’s country division, he shaped the sound of an era. Facing the threat of rock ’n’ roll in the late 1950s, Chet helped create the polished, sophisticated “Nashville Sound.” By softening the twang, adding lush string sections and choral backgrounds, and emphasizing smooth vocals, he made country music palatable to mainstream America. He produced or co-produced landmark records for Jim Reeves, Eddy Arnold, Dolly Parton, Waylon Jennings, Charley Pride, Jerry Reed, and even some of Elvis Presley’s early RCA sessions. The gentle, urbane style he championed kept country commercially alive and turned Nashville into a recording capital. Behind the studio console and in his office at RCA, Atkins was a quiet revolutionary. He embraced multi-track recording early, often overdubbing his own bass, chord, and lead parts to create richly layered guitar tracks that sounded like a full band. His taste was impeccable—he could hear a hit in a rough demo and knew exactly how to frame a song. Artists trusted him completely; singers nicknamed him “The Dean” because he ran Nashville’s recording scene with calm authority and genuine kindness. His reach went well beyond country. George Harrison cited him as a primary influence on the Beatles’ guitar arrangements; Mark Knopfler, Steve Howe, Lenny Breau, and Tommy Emmanuel all studied his records religiously. Duane Eddy’s twangy hits owe their existence to Chet’s early encouragement, and countless session players in Nashville modeled their careers on his versatility and professionalism. In recognition of his contributions, Chet Atkins won fourteen Grammy Awards and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993. He recorded over a hundred albums under his own name and appeared on thousands more as a sideman or producer. Late in life he returned to the simpler acoustic music he loved, making beautiful duet records with younger admirers like Mark Knopfler, Suzy Bogguss, and Tommy Emmanuel. He even created his own tongue-in-cheek honor, “Certified Guitar Player” (CGP), which he awarded to only four players he deemed worthy: Tommy Emmanuel, Jerry Reed, John Knowles, and Steve Wariner. Chet Atkins died on June 30, 2001, after a long battle with cancer, but his legacy is everywhere you turn in American music. Every time you hear a cleanly picked country guitar intro, a sophisticated Nashville arrangement, or a guitarist making one instrument sound like three, you’re hearing the echo of Chet Atkins—the humble mountain boy who quietly changed the sound of popular music forever. #podcast #musichistory #gcams #chetatkins

GCAMS Episode 40: Ritch Shefke

This week we sit down with Ritch Shefke. Ritch is a multi-instrumentalist who has spent decades in the California music scene. He is currently the bass player for LaineyWood and Moonshine Crazy. Please check out their music and enjoy this wide ranging conversation.