Singing and Songwriting, with The Wailin' Jennys
Singing and Songwriting, with The Wailin' Jennys  
Podcast: Strong Songs
Published On: Fri Sep 05 2025
Description: 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 singers who've found such perfect vocal harmony for one another? How do they each think of songwriting, and of creative work in general? On their recent west coast tour, they stopped by the studio for a chat about those things and more.THE WAILIN' JENNYS ARE:Ruth Moody - Banjo, Guitar, VocalsNicky Mehta - Guitar, Drums, VocalsHeather Masse - Bass, VocalsFeaturing excerpts from the Jennys' albums Bright Morning Stars, iTunes Session - EP, 40 Days, and FirecrackerFEATURED/DISCUSSED:"Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Jim Steinman, sung by Bonnie Tyler and Rory Dodd"Paradise by the Dashboard Light," "I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)," "Objects in the Rearview Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are" - by Jim Steinman sung by Meat Loaf"Closer To Fine" and "Love's Recovery" by Indigo Girls from Indigo Girls, 1989Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert, 2016Kirk's essay on creativity, "Follow The Spark"Jeff Tweedy talking songwriting on The Ezra Klein Show"What Am I Here For" by Jade BirdMUSIC PICKS:Heather: Bonny Light Horseman, Keep Me On Your Mind/Set You Free, 2024Ruth: Aaron Neville, "Louisiana 1927"Nicky: Afghan Whigs, Black Love ----LINKS-----💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Patreon | Paypal🏠 HOMEPAGEstrongsongspodcast.com👚 MERCHstrongsongspodcast.com/store📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTERnewsletter.kirkhamilton.com📷 SOCIAL MEDIAInstagram: @Kirk_HamiltonBluesky: @kirkhamilton.com💬 STRONG SONGS DISCORD SERVERstrongsongspodcast.com/discord🎧 STRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTSkirkhamilton.com/gear🎶 KIRK'S MUSICkirkhamilton.com/music🎨 SHOW ARTTom Deja, Bossman Graphics--------------------AUGUST 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSMelissa LucasThomas McIlheranAndyLisa CrottyRick KeelerElizabeth CulverMeryl AllisonRobyn MetcalfeCesarCorpus FriskyBen BarronCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteJay SwartzRushDaniel Hannon-BarryChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerNathaniel BauernfeindPaul DelaneySami SamhuriJeremy DawsonAccessViolationDave FloreyAUGUST 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONSMathias SchmidtErikFreddy FreemanAdam ClarkSTEPHENBrendan McLeodZach PutnamIan KarmelSteve BWorcesterJimJezAlex MillerLottie AronRsPMichael WisnoskyBrian RinckenbergerDan EliasHiddenJesterBetsy BarreIan StedingMargaret McReynoldsAlison DuganPrincess of WhalesDave DouglassSuzanne CrawfordPhantomMareKym GriffithRachelAruni JayatillekeTBDaniel KaberonWiggy HashWhit SidenerJulie KellmanSimon HellmanBeaClaudia CartyDaniGlenn JacksonChristopher Selby SpinkPhilip KellyDaniel NervoKevin StaffordLawrenceSy JacobsirritableIan PiddAndrew HoferJordan GatenbyMelissa KuhnsAshleySeattle Trans And Nonbinary Choral EnsembleKevin MarceloJamesMichaelJeffDan CutterJoseph RomeroOl ParkerJohn BerryDanielle KrizClint McElroyMordok’s Vape PenInmar GivoniMichael SingerMerv AdrianJoe GalloMichael YorkLauren KnottsDave KolasHenry MindlinMonica St. AngeloStephen WolkwitzRand LeShayMaxeric spMatthew JonesThomasAnthony MentzJames McMurryEthan LaserBrian John PeterChris RemoAaron WilsonDent EarlCarlos LernerMisty HaisfieldAbraham BenrubiLee R.Dick MorganBen SteinGrettir AsmundarsonSean MurphyRandal VegterKellen SteffenKaya WoodallRobert Granatdave malloyAlan MaassDouglas H Frazerjohn halpinPeter HardingDavidKayla RussellJohn BaumanMartín SalíasStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayGary PierceMatt BaxterLuigi BocciaE Margaret WartonTim SheehanCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanKenIsWearingAHatAaron WadeJeff UlmDavid FutterJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareRichard SneddonChristian HessmannJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperMiles FormanBruno GaetaKenneth JungAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJeffrey BeanJRRJAilie FraserRob TsukJosh SingerAdam WKelli Brockingtonmino caposselaSteve PaquinDonald MackieDavid JoskeBernard KhooRobert HeuerDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerJason PrattAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanLinda DuffyBonnie PrinsenEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNell MorseNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemoncbalmainAngela LivingstoneDiane HughesMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffJoshua HillPascal RuegerRandy SouzaClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanDhu WikMelmaniacEric HelmJonathan DanielsCaro FieldDave SharpeNaomi WatsonDavidAlexanderJeff PattersonChris KGavin DoigTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudBrad CallahanAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerAndrew FairBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo