Allen Thompson joins Korby Lenker on The Morse Code Podcast for a conversation about the winding road of making music on your own terms. The two talk about Allen’s early years in East Nashville, the late great Todd Snider’s lasting influence, and what it takes to stay true to yourself as an artist—even when it doesn’t pay. The episode closes with a…

Kezia Jackson is a clinical psychologist and the founder and CEO of Healing Spaces, a mental health practice that specializes in serving BIPOC populations. As one of the just 4% of mental health professionals who are Black, she and her team are on a mission to meet a drastic need.Di Eric Morse

On this week’s episode of The Morse Code Podcast, host Korby Lenker sits down with genre-bending songwriter Aaron Lee Tasjan for a wide-ranging conversation about art, identity, and staying weird in a world that wants to put you in a box. They talk about the challenges of navigating the music industry without losing your creative center, the unexpe…

I didn’t know much about Jessica Willis Fisher before she came over to the studio. I knew she was part of the family band The Willis Clan, and I knew something bad had happened — but I didn’t know the shape of it. Or what she’d done with the pieces. Turns out, she’s one of the most quietly courageous people I’ve ever sat across from. In this episod…

One thing I’ve noticed about lifers — artists who stay in the game past the shiny early years — is that they tend to carry this quiet steadiness. Northeat based singer-songwriter and band leader Ryan Montbleau is one of those people. He’s been making music professionally for over two decades, without a label, without a gimmick, and without (as he p…

“Explore the world of binary conversions with BinaryCodeConverter.com — your free online tool to convert text to binary and back in seconds. Perfect for students, developers, and tech enthusiasts!”

Washington Post book critic Ron Charles is not only one of the most influential people in the literary world, he is also a St. Louis native, a former teacher at John Burroughs (and colleague of Jon Hamm), and Eric's former college professor. He brings a joy and enthusiasm to the craft (and to everything) that is nothing short of pure delight! Ron a…

In this spooky Halloween edition of the pod, Eric talks to two St. Louis County Council members: Lisa Clancy and Kelli Dunaway. Lisa is a social worker who has dedicated her life to helping her community. Kelli is a real-life witch, who tells a harrowing story of encountering Eric (nee Mark) in a past life, 500 years ago. It's a hell of a ride! Hap…

There’s a kind of artist who gets better the more they get broken open. Who wears the hard stuff — the heartbreak, the hangups, the spiritual confusion — like a second layer of skin. Liam St. John is one of those artists. You may have come across him recently via his viral single Dipped in Bleach, or maybe from his powerhouse audition on The Voice …

Unlock the power of binary! This video explains how Binary Code Converter helps you instantly translate text to binary and binary to text with real-time accuracy. Perfect for students, developers, cybersecurity learners, and tech enthusiasts. Master binary conversions effortlessly.

Eric speaks with Congressional candidate Fred Wellman and a dozen protesters in West St. Louis County, including a two-time Trump voter who took a stand to protest Donald Trump's authoritarianism. Make sure to listen to the end for important takeaways!Di Eric Morse

There’s something I love about artists who don’t wait for permission. The ones who carry a crowbar so they can pry the tiny crack into a opening big enough to strut though. Judy Blank is one of those crowbar carryin types. Her latest ablum, “Big Mood” came out on tastemaker label Rounder Records this September. She grew up in the Netherlands, obses…

This conversation, like Sloe Jack himself, is going to offend some of you. In a little over 6 months the 23 year-old Australian-born, Nashville-based artist has amassed a huge following on Social Media, mostly for his outspoken takes on all the hot button social issues. Under the rubric of, as he describes it, “Common Sense”, Jack has thrown himsel…

This week on The Morse Code Podcast, I sat down with Nashville artist Paul McDonald — someone I’ve known in the periphery for years, but never really talked with until now. We cover a lot of ground in this one, but the big arc is this: what happens after everything falls apart… and how you find your way back. Paul had it all — record deals, red car…

Joshua David Stein is in from NYC to sample fare for Esquire's Best New Restaurants feature and Gerard Craft is celebrating 20 years of Niche Food Group. We talk about Gerard's amazing path from reform school graffiti writer to James Beard Award winner, we talk about St. Louis's vibrant food scene and why it beats NYC and LA, and we talk single dad…

Welcome to the Morse Code Reader podcast. Learn how Morse code works, explore its history, and practise translating dots and dashes. Try the free online tool at https://morsecodereader.com

Di Korby Lenker and Lera Lynn

A politico, a minstrel, a farm boy, and a mensch—Truman Kennedy joins the pod to regale Eric with music and tales of Tulsa larceny. Meet the man who has demonstrated that progressive causes can win in rural Missouri.Di Eric Morse

St. Louis's best barber is also a reformed church kid, a punk singer and guitarist, and a tireless activist for colorectal cancer awareness and policy. Go deep with Cranford the Barber!Di Eric Morse

A very nuanced and in-depth look at the Muslim experience in America: from growing up between St. Louis and Syria to getting married at 18 to a unique perspective on US politics. This is an eye-opening interview with Islamic Center of Greater St. Louis Vice-Chair Maysa Albarcha.Di Eric Morse

Join Tamara Keefe, founder of AMERICA'S BEST ICE CREAM (several times over), Clementine's Ice Creamery as she talks about quitting her corporate job to chase her passion, building a business in St. Louis's small but supportive environment, and how she views her mission to make sure everyone gets good ice cream.…

Get ready to go real deep real fast with Rabbi Daniel Bogard. He is Rabbi of the Central Reform Congregation, co-founder of Camp Indigo Point, a summer camp for gender queer youth, and one of Missouri's fiercest and most tireless advocates for trans rights, fighting for justice and acceptance for his own son as well as a community of other families…

The ST. LOUIS Will Smith is President of New + Found, the development firm that brought us City Foundry, Angad Arts Hotel, and a wide range of current and future defining pieces of St. Louis community and culture. He is also a former D-I football player, a motorcycle racer, and a hell of a good guy. Enjoy this episode.…

Di Eric Morse

St. Louis Symphony Orchestra trumpeter Michael Walk joins to talk about a life in music and his experiences as a fierce protector and advocate for his trans daughter. It's a don't-miss episode!Di Eric Morse

Nashville artist Jake Etheridge shares how “Happy Ever After You,” written with wife Mackenzie Porter, went viral overnight—leading to a record deal, praise from John Mayer & Brandi Carlile, and a whole new chapter for Thelma and James. Plus, live music & Nashville stories. Get full access to The Morse Code with Korby Lenker at korby.substack.com/s…

St. Louis Public Radio's Political Correspondent Jason Rosenbaum joins the pod today to talk about a career covering Missouri and St. Louis's fast-changing political landscape. And social media and kids and all those other things.Di Eric Morse

Former State Rep and Congressional candidate Trish Gunby joins the pod to talk about her life and childhood in St. Louis County, the work she has done to help St. Louis families and her hopes for the future.Di Eric Morse

Korby talks with Clark Beckham about the highs and lows of American Idol, faith and expression, and what it means to stay the course as an artist. Get full access to The Morse Code with Korby Lenker at korby.substack.com/subscribeDi Korby Lenker

Today the author, improviser, and USMNT World Cup Leadership Coach who has worked alongside greats like Russell Wilson and Trevor Moawad talk about how journey, how improv can imPROVE (see what I did there?) your life, and his latest book, Confidence is Overrated.Di Eric Morse

Jeff Jarrett is a big ol' piston in the engine that drives St. Louis's cultural and music scene. As a partner at Contemporary Productions, Jeff is largely responsible for the Evolution Fest, and he has had a hand in putting on just about every great live music event to happen in St. Louis for the past two decades. Loved hanging with this icon!…

There’s a moment in this week’s episode where folksinger and creative lifer Anna Vogelzang says, “I needed someone to look at me and say: you’re still doing this.” I’ve been thinking about that. Because it’s not always easy to tell, is it? Whether we’re still in it. Whether it still matters. Whether we still matter. Anna’s someone I’ve admired for …

On this episode, we hear from Mandy Johnson and Richard Hein. Mandy lives in rural, conservative Marthasville, MO. Recently, a friend of Mandy's who is a legal resident of Honduran descent, and mother of two natural born citizens, was arrested on trumped up charges and slated to be deported. Mandy recounts her struggle to get this friend released, …

“I lived the dream I had at nineteen. Now I’m trying to see what else is out there.”—Jason Carter For 33 years, Jason Carter was the fiddler for the Del McCoury Band—a role as iconic in bluegrass circles as it gets. He joined at nineteen, fresh out of Eastern Kentucky, and spent the next three decades on the road, backing one of the most revered vo…

Meidas Touch podcaster FP Wellman talks about his experience in the Army, at Harvard Kennedy School, and what Democrats need to do better to win red districts like Missouri's 2nd District, represented by Ann Wagner.Di Eric Morse

The father of St. Louis's favorite daughter (or is she our secret girlfriend?) joins Eric to discuss fatherhood, his career in music, his passion for combating climate change, and of course the journey from cringing at his daughter Nikki Glaser's standup to joining her onstage for iconic duets.Di morsecodethepodcast

Erin Rae is a Nashville singer-songwriter whose music blends introspective folk, vintage pop, and Americana into a sound both timeless and, I’d say, quietly radical. Raised in Jackson, Tennessee by musician parents, Erin was immersed as a kid in the language of song and storytelling. We talk about her early years in Nashville (she moved in her earl…

Great conversation with bluegrass fiddler Bronwyn Keith-Hynes on her exploding career — from attending this year’s Grammys under the auspices of Molly Tuttle (in whose band Golden Highway she plays fiddle), to making her debut on the Grand Ole Opry last month, to a year chock full of tour dates and festivals playing under her own name. We talked ab…

In this intimate episode of The Morse Code Podcast, host Korby Lenker sits down with rising Americana star Leah Blevins for a vulnerable, wise, and deeply human conversation about music, identity, and the winding path of the creative life. Leah opens up about her roots in Eastern Kentucky, her gospel-singing family, and the twin bond that shaped he…

In this revealing episode of The MCP, I sit down with Grammy-nominated songwriter, guitarist, and Americana mainstay Will Kimbrough for a wide-ranging conversation on the hard truths and quiet joys of a life in music. From his early days as a 12 year old electric guitar player to getting signed to EMI, and then John Prine’s Oh Boy Records, to his w…

What does human-curated radio mean in an era dominated by algorithms? In this episode of The Morse Code Podcast, I sit down with Celia Gregory from Nashville’s WNXP to talk about the power of radio, music discovery, and how real people—not algorithms—shape the sound of a city. Celia shares her journey from college radio DJ to morning host at WNXP, …

Jordie Lane on Artistry, Resilience & Reinventing the Indie Music Scene. In this episode of The Morse Code Podcast, host Korby Lenker sits down with the Australian-born Nashville-residing singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jordie Lane. Together they explore the raw realities of making a life in independent music, the necessity of artistic …

The first time I saw a portrait by Shervin Lainez, I felt like I was hearing the artist’s music through a photograph. There’s an intimacy in the image, a quiet buzz that goes deeper than just the artist’s face—it captures an essence. His work has graced the pages of Rolling Stone, The New York Times, and countless album covers, shaping the way we s…

Let’s just begin by saying there is nothing in Nashville like Pitch Meeting, Eric Fortaleza’s weekly musical highwire act. Billed as “Nashville’s Best Writer’s Open Mic” the weekly show, which resumes this Tuesday February 25th features a powerhouse band of Nashville heavies (often of 10 or more players) whose job it is to back the any songwriter w…

What happens when the interviewer becomes the guest? This episode of The Morse Code Podcast is a special one—Randa Newman, Korby's wife and creative partner, takes over the host seat to interview Korby in an intimate, revealing conversation about creativity, perseverance, and what it means to balance art with real life. Get full access to The Morse…

Abby Jane is a singer and songwriter based in Nashville. Her debut EP “I Don’t Want to Pretend” has been the talk of the town, at least in the circles I trade in, since it dropped in October 2024. Everybody loves her fresh take on the craft of confessional songwriting, and the remarkable instrument through which she delivers those songs. Abby Jane …

Carl Anderson is a singer-songwriter from Virginia. His song swirls around like that plastic bag in the scene from American Beauty. A surprising unassuming clandestine charm that catches you unawares and then settles at your feet until the wind kicks up again. I have been a fan of his ever since we played a show together at the Bluebird in Nashvill…

MAIR is a musical force of nature. Whether she’s playing mandolin, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass, nylon string banjo, her sit-up-and-pay-attention virtuosity has made her an in-demand collaborator the industry over. She’s been touring since she was thirteen, which makes her an industry veteran even though she’s barely in her mid-twenties. …

Quick note before the show - after taking almost 4 years off to produce the Morse Code TV Pilot, I’m about to release some new music. So so excited about this. The first single is called Meet Me at the End of the World. Its about reaching for love at all costs. I texted our guest Tyler Merritt the track after our interview last week and, to quote t…

Published just two days ago, Adam Ross’ second novel, Playworld — some dozen-plus years in the making — is one of the best books I’ve read in the last five years. I’m not alone! Sources no less venerable than The New York Times, the LA Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, are all lining up to sing its praises. “Dazzling and endearing,”…