Wong Notes

Episódios

• 
  Derek Trucks Returns! 17.06.2026 1h

  We are absolutely thrilled to welcome back slide guitar legend Derek Trucks for his second appearance on the show. In this episode, we dive deep into the Tedeski Trucks Band's incredible new album, Future Soul, and discuss what it was like shaking things up with versatile producer Mike Elizondo. Derek also shares wild behind-the-scenes stories from their epic 10-night residency at the Beacon Theatre, including surprise sit-ins from icons like Cyndi Lauper and Jaimoe. Guitar nerds, you won't want to miss this part: Derek tells us what it was actually like to play Jerry Garcia's legendary "Tiger" guitar and Frank Zappa’s fast-playing "Baby Snakes" guitar live on stage. We also swap stories from the Sun, Sand and Soul Festival, explore the true meaning of musical mastery, and discuss the physical toll of his unique hand-playing style. Tune in for a masterclass on the guitar and an unforgettable hang!Get 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywongVisit Derek Trucks: https://tedeschitrucksband.com/Hit us up: wongnotes@premierguitar.comVisit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.comVisit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.comIG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespodProduced by Jason Shadrick and Cory WongPresented by DistroKid
• 
  How to Read the Room and Serve the Song with Dann Huff 06.05.2026 1h 10min

  Today, we’re hanging with an absolute legend, the incredible guitarist and producer, Dann Huff. This cat has played on and produced everything from Taylor Swift to Megadeth—talk about a wide spectrum of skill sets!We’re diving deep into his philosophy on session playing and what it really means to serve the composition. Dann drops serious wisdom on how to stop overplaying so your parts don't get muted, the very real danger of "demoitis," and what it takes to be a "casting director" when you're producing a record. We also talk about his brand new instrumental solo album, where he got back to his roots and wove incredible orchestral arrangements right into his guitar solos.If you want to elevate your session playing or understand the magic of arrangement and production, you need to hear this episode.Get 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywongVisit Dann Huff: https://www.instagram.com/dannhuffHit us up: wongnotes@premierguitar.comVisit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.comVisit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/wongnotespodIG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespodProduced by Jason Shadrick and Cory WongPresented by DistroKid
• 
  Nate Smith: "Jazz is the Biggest Four-Letter Word in the English Language" 15.04.2026 1h 1min

  Fresh off winning two Grammys and being named artistic director of the Newport Jazz Festival, drum legend Nate Smith sits down with host and bandmate Cory Wong to chart his career journey on this new episode of Wong Notes.Smith details his rise from playing with jazz giants like Dave Holland and Chris Potter's Underground to the viral visibility of the Fearless Flyers. A particularly cool gem that he shares is the fax-era story of how a beat tape led to him receiving a songwriting credit on Michael Jackson's Invincible: “I made my Michael Jackson songwriter deal at Kinko’s, brother!” Smith says.The conversation turns to the essential, irreplaceable muscle of live performance, the importance of artistic concept over chops, and the need for new leaders to steward the future of jazz. Nate also teases his upcoming trio run with J3PO and Cartoons, and the long-demanded reunion with Cory and Victor Wooten. Tune in to the episode to get all the goods.Get 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywongVisit Nate Smith: https://www.natesmithdrums.com/Hit us up: wongnotes@premierguitar.comVisit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.comVisit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/wongnotespodIG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespodProduced by Jason Shadrick and Cory WongPresented by DistroKid
• 
  Oteil Burbridge: Intention First. Instrument Last 25.03.2026 1h 6min

  Cory Wong sits down with the legendary bassist Oteil Burbridge (Allman Brothers Band, Dead & Company, Tedeschi Trucks Band) for a deep dive into musical philosophy, Col. Bruce, and more.Burbridge has been driven by a simple, radical lesson he learned from Col. Bruce Hampton: Intention comes first, the instrument is last. He tells Cory how he learned to channel his entire life—including the “mirror of embarrassment”—into his playing to develop a singular voice—scat singing and all.Burbridge also breaks down how he maintains deep groove while adding melodic freedom, and the power a bassist has to drive a soloist to “40,000 feet.” Plus, you’ll hear behind-the-scenes stories from the Allman Brothers Band, advice on dealing with creative pushback, and details on his upcoming album recorded in Iceland.Get 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywongVisit Oteil: https://www.oteilburbridge.com/Hit us up: wongnotes@premierguitar.comVisit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.comVisit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.comIG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespodProduced by Jason Shadrick and Cory WongPresented by DistroKid
• 
  Wong Notes Live! with Matteo Mancuso 10.12.2025 1h 20min

  Back in August, at Cory Wong’s Syncopated Summer Camp in Nashville, Wong hosted a late-night interview and hang session with Italian guitar hero Matteo Mancuso. If you weren’t there, you’re in luck: This week’s episode of Wong Notes features that exclusive rendezvous in its entirety, recorded live in front of an audience of camp attendees.Mancuso unearths his roots on the guitar, from starting on the electric guitar to learning Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, and Jimi Hendrix while using his father’s finger-picking style. “Later on, I discovered about the pick, but I was too lazy to start again,” says Mancuso, who shouts out other fingerstyle players like Wes Montgomery and Django Reinhardt.Mancuso credits his unique playing vocabulary to his atypical approach to the instrument, which meant he had to “find some solutions to some technical problems” that he encountered while learning to play. What kind of warm-ups does he turn to when he wants to get his fingers and brain moving? Mancuso has a few thoughts, but it all has to be “goal-oriented.”Mancuso and Wong, both veteran bandleaders at this point, swap advice and techniques on heading your own band, arranging, and writing, plus scores of other obscure tricks of the trade. Tune in and listen to get the goods.Get 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywongVisit Matteo Mancuso: https://www.matteomancuso.net/Hit us up: wongnotes@premierguitar.comVisit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.comVisit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/wongnotespodIG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespodProduced by Jason Shadrick and Cory WongPresented by DistroKid
• 
  The Trey Anastasio Takeover Continues! 12.11.2025 1h 14min

  Phish’s Trey Anastasio is back again on this week’s extra-special episode of Wong Notes. The expansive conversation goes from the mundane to the massive: Trey shares the meaningful gift he bought himself for his 60th birthday, reflects on his most meaningful song, dissects boredom and nostalgia in the streaming era, and names the young bands impressing him most these days.Then, Trey and Cory dig deep into the songwriting process, and Trey reflects on how his songwriting has (and hasn’t) changed over his length career: “Maybe it’s some kind of human nature, that you’re kind of fighting against who you actually, really are,” he offers. He then opens up the files and plays few unreleased (and vintage) demos! At this stage in his career, what is Trey Anastasio hoping to accomplish, and has his approach to making music changed? Tune in to find out.Get 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywongVisit Trey Anastasio: https://trey.com/Hit us up: wongnotes@premierguitar.comVisit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.comVisit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.comIG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespodProduced by Jason Shadrick and Cory WongPresented by DistroKid
• 
  Trey Anastasio on Dumbles, Broadway, and 40-Plus Years of Phish 29.10.2025 1h 5min

  Imagine being in a band with your best friends for over 40 years, and each night you step on stage you get to play one more show. That’s exactly what guitarist Trey Anastasio and his bandmates in Phish think about right before every sold-out arena or amphitheater show. “We're all hyper aware now, every night,” mentions Anastasio. “I mean, we just love it so much. It's like, I can't wait for the tour to start.” Anastasio’s energy and passion is infectious, even when he isn’t talking about music. Bring up hockey, 6L6-based amps, or even his generationally deep Iowa roots and watch as his eyebrows raise. We had to do something special for the 100th episode of Wong Notes. We caught up with Trey while he was preparing for a November tour with his solo band. In part one, Cory Wong brings Anastasio in with some hockey talk before diving straight into his current full-circle journey with his rig, and he reveals a bit of an epiphany that all true gearheads know, but sometimes are afraid to admit.Get 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywongVisit Trey Anastasio: http://trey.comHit us up: wongnotes@premierguitar.comVisit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.comVisit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.comIG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespodProduced by Jason Shadrick and Cory WongPresented by DistroKid
• 
  Blake Mills and Pino Palladino 16.10.2025 1h 10min

  This go around, Cory Wong is joined by Pino Palladino and Blake Mills. Palladino, a Grammy-winning bassist, has collaborated with everyone from Erykah Badu and Keith Richards to John Mayer and the late, great D’Angelo. Mills’ resumé includes work with Bob Dylan, Fiona Apple, and Joni Mitchell. The duo has been around the block. Wong probes all corners of their creative processes, from the purpose of the music they make, to dealing with “unnatural” elements of the creative process, to layering parts on a record, to different approaches to melody. As you read, Palladino and Mills have worked with some of the greatest musicians and writers of the past century. They’ve got a lot of wisdom to share.Tune in to learn from some of the best in the biz.Get 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywongVisit Blake Mills: https://www.blakemillsonline.com/Visit Pino Palladino: https://pinopalladinoblakemills.komi.io/Hit us up: wongnotes@premierguitar.comVisit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.comVisit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/wongnotespodIG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespodProduced by Jason Shadrick and Cory WongPresented by DistroKid
• 
  The Fearless Flyers: Flight School is in Session! 01.10.2025 1h 6min

  Welcome back for a special episode of Wong Notes! If you couldn’t make it to Cory’s Syncopated Summer Camp, this one’s for you: It features Wong and his Flyers bandmates—Nate Smith on drums, Joe Dart on bass, and Mark Lettieri on guitar—in a live masterclass recording from this summer, as they jam and break down an original composition.The group starts off with a rowdy rip through the tune (which, apparently, didn’t go so well when they played it in Italy) before slowing down its constituent parts and highlighting Lettieri’s thoughtful arrangements. Each member of the band takes a turn explaining their approach to jamming and improvising—and how to know when trouble is coming. (For Smith, it’s when one player tries to “force an agenda.”)The most important instrument for a successful jam and songwriting session? Your ears: It all comes back to listening. So listen in and learn with the best on this exclusive instalment.Recorded LIVE at the Syncopated Summer Camp presented by Dreamcatcher Events: http://dreamcatcher-events.comListen to the full episode here: https://bit.ly/WongNotesGet 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywongHit us up: wongnotes@premierguitar.comVisit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.comVisit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/wongnotespodIG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespodProduced by Jason Shadrick and Cory WongPresented by DistroKid
• 
  James Bay on Failed Solos, Onstage Adrenaline, and How to Hire a Band 18.09.2025 59min

  On this episode, James Bay joins Cory Wong from backstage at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. (It takes Wong all of 10 seconds to recognize and name the green room.) Bay is still supporting his fourth full-length record, Changes All the Time, and Wong picked up on a different guitar approach on the new album. Bay walks him through how his playing matched the collection’s title.Bay also reveals the first solo he learned to play (or, rather, failed to learn to play; it’s a Bon Jovi hit), and how Jack White’s philosophy of struggle against his instrument has shaped Bay’s relationship to his own guitars. As bandleaders, Wong and Bay both have plenty of experience hiring players to join them in studio and on the road, so what do they look for when selecting colleagues? Tune in to find out.It wouldn’t be a chat with a Minnesotan guitarist without some Prince talk, so stick around to learn the appropriate etiquette for covering The Artist when touring his home state.Listen to the full episode here: https://bit.ly/WongNotesGet 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywongVisit James Bay: https://www.jamesbay.comHit us up: wongnotes@premierguitar.comVisit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.comVisit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/wongnotespodIG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespodProduced by Jason Shadrick and Cory WongPresented by DistroKid
• 
  Goose's Rick Mitarotonda: Can Jambands Write Great Songs? Yes! 03.09.2025 1h 13min

  Sound the alarms, tell your neighbors, hire a banner plane: Wong Notes is back. Cory Wong’s beloved podcast returns after a healthy break, and this exciting comeback episode features Wong in conversation with Goose’s Rick Mitarotonda.The Connecticut rock band’s guitarist and vocalist talks through the band’s origins and position in the jam-band and broader music scenes, and Wong and Mitarotonda debate an ancient, critical question: Can jam bands actually write great songs?The duo talk through their philosophies on recording, staying sharp on your instrument, all-star moments and standout players in the jam community, and feeling misunderstood as an artist. Like a good jam set, there are plenty of rich tangents, fascinating rabbit holes, and unexpected insights, so tune in and keep your ears open.Get 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywongVisit Goose: https://www.goosetheband.com/Hit us up: wongnotes@premierguitar.comVisit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.comVisit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/wongnotespodIG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespodProduced by Jason Shadrick and Cory WongPresented by DistroKid
• 
  Brad Paisley on Fish, Phish, and the Origins of the "Lost" Paisley Guitar 14.05.2025 1h 24min

  Welcome back for a special season finale of Wong Notes! We’ve saved one of the best for last: Brad Paisley.The celebrated shredder and seasoned fisherman joins host Cory Wong for one of this season’s most interesting episodes. Paisley talks his earliest guitar-playing influences, which came from his grandfather’s love of country music, and his first days in Nashville—as a student at Belmont University, studying the music industry. The behind-the-curtain knowledge he picked up at Belmont made him a good match for industry suits trying to force bad contracts on him.Wong and Paisley swap notes on fishing and a mutual love of Phish—Paisley envies the jam-band scene, which he thinks has more leeway in live contexts than country. And with a new signature Fender Telecaster hitting the market in a rare blue paisley finish, Paisley discusses his iconic namesake pattern—which some might describe as “hippie puke”—and its surprising origin with Elvis’ guitarist James Burton.Plus, hear how Paisley assembled his rig over the years, the state of shredding on mainstream radio, when it might be good to hallucinogenic drugs in a set, and the only negative thing about country-music audiences.Get 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywongVisit Brad Paisley: https://www.bradpaisley.com/Hit us up: wongnotes@premierguitar.comVisit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.comVisit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.comIG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespodProduced by Jason Shadrick and Cory WongAdditional Editing by Shawn PersingerPresented by DistroKid
• 
  Joe Satriani is Back! 30.04.2025 1h 7min

  Legendary shredder Joe Satriani was the first ever guest on Wong Notes, so it makes sense that he’s the first returning sit-in with Cory Wong. Satch is busy as ever, juggling enough projects to make a normal guitarist’s head spin. But Satriani’s not a normal guitarist.He teases a new song with Sammy Hagar, plus delves into the intricacies of Eddie Van Halen’s playing and why he can’t quite replicate it—every guitarist has their strengths and deficiencies, claims Satch. And believe it or not, Satriani didn’t figure standing in front of huge crowds to be one of his strengths when he was younger. Fate figured otherwise.Satriani goes deep on one of his favorite tools, the Sustainiac pickup, and talks about how it’s defined his playing—just like his trademark sunglasses, even in dark rooms. (“Stupid idea, right?” he jokes.)And young guitarists, listen up: Satriani has some wise words on the importance of rigorous practice while you’re budding on the instrument. The big takeaway? Learn. The. Notes.Listen to the full episode here: https://bit.ly/WongNotesGet 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywongVisit Joe Satriani: https://www.satriani.com/Hit us up: wongnotes@premierguitar.comVisit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.comVisit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.comIG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespodProduced by Jason Shadrick and Cory WongAdditional Editing by Shawn PersingerPresented by DistroKid
• 
  Don’t Call Grace Bowers a Blues-Rock Guitarist 12.02.2025 51min

  Grace Bowers just released her debut record, 2024’s Wine on Venus, with her band the Hodge Podge, but she’s already one the most well-known young guitarists in America. On this episode of Wong Notes, Bowers talks through the ups, downs, and detours of her whirlwind career.Bowers started out livestreaming performances on Reddit at age 13, and came into the public eye as a performer on social media, so she’s well acquainted with the limits and benefits of being an “Instagram guitarist.” She and Cory talk about session work in Nashville (Bowers loathes it), her live performance rig, and Eddie Hazel’s influence.Bowers plugs the importance of networking as a young musician: If you want gigs, you gotta go to gigs, and make acquaintances. But none of that elbow-rubbing will matter unless you’re solid on you’re instrument. “No one’s gonna hire you if you’re ass,” says Bowers. “Practice is important.”Tune in to learn why Bowers is ready to move on from Wine on Venus, her takes on Nashville versus California, and why she hates “the blues-rock label.”Get 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywongVisit Grace Bowers: https://www.gracebowers.com/Hit us up: wongnotes@premierguitar.comVisit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.comVisit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.comIG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespodProduced by Jason Shadrick and Cory WongAdditional Editing by Shawn PersingerPresented by DistroKid
• 
  “Crank That Sh*t Up!” Greg Koch on Teaching, Mistakes, Modeling, and Modern Blues 29.01.2025 1h 7min

  You might not know Greg Koch, but we’ll bet your favorite guitarist does. In 2012, Fender called the Wisconsin blues-guitar phenom one of the top 10 best unsung guitarists, and in 2020, Guitar World listed Koch among the 15 best guitar teachers. He’s been inducted into the Wisconsin Area Music Industry Hall of Fame. Koch is a bonafide midwest guitar god.He joins Cory Wong on this round of Wong Notes for this meeting of the Middle-America minds, where the duo open with analysis of music culture in Wisconsin and Minnesota—Koch taught at Saint Paul’s now-shuttered McNally Smith College of Music, which Wong attended. Koch and Wong zero in on the blues roots of most modern music and talk through soloing theories: It can be as easy or as hard as you want it to be, but Koch shares that he likes to “paint himself into a corner,” then get out of it.Koch and Wong swap notes on the pressures of studio performance versus the live realm, and how to move on from mistakes made onstage in front of audiences. Plus, Koch has created scores of guitar education materials, including for Hal Leonard. Tune in to find out what makes a good guitar course, how to write a guitar book, Koch’s audio tips for crystalline live-stream sessions, and why he still prefers tube amps: “I like to crank that sh*t up!”Visit Greg Koch: https://www.gregkoch.com/Get 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywongHit us up: wongnotes@premierguitar.comVisit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.comVisit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/wongnotespodIG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespodProduced by Jason Shadrick and Cory WongAdditional Editing by Shawn PersingerPresented by DistroKid
• 
  The Journey of Jazz Guitarist Mike Stern 08.01.2025 1h

  Mike Stern has been around the block. The jazz-guitar virtuoso earned his stripes through the ’70s and ’80s in New York’s jazz scene, playing 6-string with drummer Billy Cobham before tapping in with artists like Miles Davis and Jaco Pastorius—even at a time when guitar wasn’t necessarily a cornerstone piece of a jazz outfit. In this episode of Wong Notes, Stern fills Cory Wong in on the ups and downs of 50 years spent in one of the most complex and underappreciated music genres.Stern made the leap to New York from Boston when Davis invited him to join his band (back when jazz was the pop music of the day, notes Stern), but it was a rocky ride—Stern says he and many other musicians were “bottoming out” from addiction, until a friend went sober and convinced them to give sobriety a try. Stern talks about Miles’ hidden love for the guitar, and how he succeeded in fitting into non-guitar environments.Wong and Stern touch on the decline of arts spaces and cultures in America (thanks, Stern says, to misallocated funding), playing gigs where the band outnumbers the audience members, the benefits of running the same rig in every room, and how to pick the right pick—for Stern, that involves a bit of wig glue. Tune in to get the details, and be sure to check out our 2018 Rig Rundown with Stern, too.Get 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywongVisit Mike Stern: https://www.mikestern.org/Hit us up: wongnotes@premierguitar.comVisit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.comVisit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/wongnotespodIG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespodProduced by Jason Shadrick and Cory WongAdditional Editing by Shawn PersingerPresented by DistroKid
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  “Get It Right, Get It Fast”: Jerry Douglas on Bluegrass History, Technicality, and Session Secrets 18.12.2024 1h 7min

  Bluegrass music is bigger than a genre. It’s become an entire world of ideas and feelings in the popular American imagination. And musician Jerry Douglas has been a key part of its celebration and revival over the past 30 years. “It's an old form of music that came from people in the south playing on the porch and became this juggernaut of a genre,” says Douglas. “It’s a character. It's a physical music.”Douglas has racked up an impressive cabinet of accolades, including Grammies, American Music Association Awards, and International Bluegrass Music Association Awards. He’s been dubbed the CMA Awards’ Musician of the Year three times, and played with everyone from Allison Krauss and Elvis Costello to Bela Fleck and John Fogerty. He’s an encyclopedic guide to contemporary American roots music, and on this episode of Wong Notes, he walks Cory Wong through the most important moments in his 50-year career.Tune in to hear Douglas’ assessment of bluegrass’ demanding nature (“Honestly, there's not so many genres nowadays that require as much technical facility as something like bluegrass”), what’s required of roots players (“Get it right, get it fast, make it hook”), and why the O Brother, Where Are Thou? soundtrack connected with so many listeners. Wondering how to get involved with session work? Douglas says there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, and what worked for him might not work today. The key is to be dynamic—and know when to keep your mouth shut.There are plenty of gems in this interview, like Douglas’ thoughts on what makes a good solo, but the most significant might be Douglas’ big takeaway from decades of sitting in on communal roots-music sessions. “We can play in all genres,” says Douglas. “We just have to listen.”Get 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywongVisit Jerry Douglas: https://jerrydouglas.com/Hit us up: wongnotes@premierguitar.comVisit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.comVisit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/wongnotespodIG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespodProduced by Jason Shadrick and Cory WongAdditional Editing by Shawn PersingerPresented by DistroKid
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  Superstar Bassist Blu DeTiger: “Wanna Get Gigs? Be a Good Hang” 04.12.2024 1h 9min

  At 26, Blu DeTiger is the youngest musician ever to have a signature Fender bass guitar. The Fender Limited Player Plus x Blu DeTiger Jazz Bass, announced in September, pays tribute to the bassist and singer’s far-reaching impact and cultural sway. She’s played with Caroline Polachek, Bleachers, FLETCHER, Olivia Rodrigo, and more, and released her own LP in March 2024. In 2023, Forbes feature her on their top 30 Under 30 list of musicians. So how did DeTiger work her way to the top?DeTiger opens up on this episode of Wong Notes about her career so far, which started at a School of Rock camp at age seven. That’s where she started performing and learning to gig with others—she played at CBGB’s before she turned 10. DeTiger took workshops with Victor Wooten at Berklee followed and studied under Steven Wolf, but years of DJing around New York City, which hammered in the hottest basslines in funk and disco, also imprinted on her style. (Larry Graham is DeTiger’s slap-bass hero.)DeTiger and Wong dish on the ups and downs of touring and session life, collaborating with pop artists to make “timeless” pop songs, and how to get gigs. DeTiger’s advice? “You gotta be a good hang.”Get 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywongVisit Blu DeTiger: https://www.bludetiger.com/Hit us up: wongnotes@premierguitar.comVisit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.comVisit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/wongnotespodIG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespodProduced by Jason Shadrick and Cory WongAdditional Editing by Shawn PersingerPresented by DistroKid
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  Mark Tremonti: “Play Like Grandma’s in the Room” 13.11.2024 56min

  There probably aren’t too many artists out there as busy as Mark Tremonti. Aside from his celebrated careers in alt-rock mainstays Creed and Alter Bridge, the guitarist, songwriter, and singer organizes guitar and songwriting clinics while on tour; has a line of signature PRS gear; and cut a 14-track charity record, Mark Tremonti Sings Sinatra. Did we mention he’s aiming to become a pinball kingpin, too?Tremonti joins Cory Wong on this episode of Wong Notes to dig into his musical trajectory since the late ’90s, when he blasted to the top of the charts with Creed. The band drew comparisons to other grunge-era staples like Pearl Jam, which irritated Tremonti but pleased Stapp. Tremonti discusses the gulf between the band’s popularity and the critical backlash they received: “People can be cruel, but it’s part of the world. You gotta deal with it.”Tremonti analyzes what makes a good riff and why everything in “the middle” is boring to him, and unveils his songwriting and demoing routines. (“I think melody is the most important part of everything,” he says.) But his biggest passion project these days is his step into classic crooner music. Inspired by his daughter to do a charity project to benefit the down syndrome community, Tremonti recorded a Frank Sinatra covers album, complete with more than a dozen musicians who played with Ol’ Blue Eyes himself.Tune in to hear all about Tremonti’s artistic life, plus a peek at what happens during his pre-show guitar and songwriting clinics on Creed’s fall 2024 tour. Expecting him to demonstrate some ferocious warmups? Think again: “I play like grandma’s in the room,” says Tremonti.Get 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywongVisit Mark Tremonti: http://marktremonti.comHit us up: wongnotes@premierguitar.comVisit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.comVisit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/wongnotespodIG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespodProduced by Jason Shadrick and Cory WongAdditional Editing by Shawn PersingerPresented by DistroKid
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  Skunk Baxter: Hostage Negotiations in the Studio 30.10.2024 1h

  “Skunk” Baxter has had an interesting career. The Washington, D.C.-born musician was one of Steely Dan’s founding members in the early 1970s, and played on some of their most iconic numbers, like Can’t Buy a Thrill’s’ “Reelin’ in the Years” and “Do It Again,” or Pretzel Logic’s “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number.” Then, he moved on to join the Doobie Brothers, from roughly 1974 to 1979, where he fatefully invited Michael McDonald into the band. After that stint, he became a go-to session player for artists like Rod Stewart, Joni Mitchell, Dolly Parton, and Donna Summer, and a touring performer for Elton John and Linda Ronstadt, among others.That was just the beginning. Baxter’s interest and background in electronics, science, and recording technology gained him a position in the U.S. defense industry. Turns out, a lot of digital music gear shared similar principles with emergent defense tech. “Basically, a radar is just an electric guitar on steroids,” says Baxter, noting the same four fundamental forces at work over everything in our universe.Wong and Baxter trades notes on how to navigate studio sessions (“Just shut the hell up,” offers Baxter), early conversions of pitch into digital signals, and how Baxter cut his solo on Donna Summer’s “Hot Stuff” on a $25 guitar. And can mediating between artists and producers feel like high-stakes hostage negotiations? Sometimes. Visit Skunk Baxter: https://www.jeffskunkbaxter.com/Get 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywongHit us up: wongnotes@premierguitar.comVisit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.comVisit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.comIG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespodProduced by Jason Shadrick and Cory WongAdditional Editing by Shawn PersingerPresented by DistroKid