Oct 2, 2026 · 1 hr 57 min · 18 segments
Episode 13 of The Hook songwriting showcase, taped live on August 30th in Austin, Texas at Sagebrush. Co-Host: Silas Lowe Guest Panelist: Drew Kennedy For more information on The Hook, visit…
Mason LivelyGuest
Rita BallouHostSterling CabanissGuest
Jason KosmasGuestLaVonda SheckleGuest
Jake BusbyGuest
Matt CastilloGuest
Noah GriffinGuest
Jason Michael KelleyGuestScott CollinsGuest
Anthony SalernoGuest
Spencer ElijahGuest
Aden RackleyGuest
Owen SalernoGuest
Nitin AnishGuestBut what has been really cool with The Hook is that we have, when we first started this thing, we were really worried.
We had a bunch of people tell us, you can't get up there and give criticism or even feedback to songwriters.
That doesn't exist.
And that was part of the problem, and that was part of the inspiration.
You go to the big songwriting circles in Nashville or here in Austin, and everybody's just, oh, great song, man, great song.
And we're like, you know, there's something positive about constructive feedback that helps everybody.
And we get up here and we give our opinions, and maybe you can take those opinions with a grain of salt, but I think it is important.
It helps create better art when people are honest about it.
And so we've created a really cool thing with The Hook that makes... that permissive.
But anyway, so the way this works is we've had a bunch of songwriters sign up.
I've got their numbers in this hopper here corresponding with their names.
I'm going to pull them randomly and they're going to come up and play a song and then we're going to give our feedback on it.
This is not a competition, but we do have some incentives.
If you come up and you play a good song, we're excited about it.
You get a hook patch, and if you do really, really good, then you can get the silver hook patch, and if you absolutely blow our minds, then you can get the coveted gold hook patch which allows you to come and play on the hook whenever you want circumvent the signups we have a gold patch winner here in the audience with us and if you're absolutely terrible we do have the dreaded bell but as everybody knows it's mostly just a prop uh I'm too much of a wuss to...
I'm seeing Rita.
Rita's ready to ding somebody this week.
I can tell.
But honestly, we just have had excellent songwriters.
There's just been no reason to use the bell.
So kudos to Austin.
Kudos to all you guys for just kicking butt.
So I'm going to pick the first number.
It's going to be number 40.
So number 40, get ready.
But what has been really cool with The Hook is that we have, when we first started this thing, we were really worried.
We had a bunch of people tell us, you can't get up there and give criticism or even feedback to songwriters.
That doesn't exist.
And that was part of the problem, and that was part of the inspiration.
You go to the big songwriting circles in Nashville or here in Austin, and everybody's just, oh, great song, man, great song.
And we're like, you know, there's something positive about constructive feedback that helps everybody.
And we get up here and we give our opinions, and maybe you can take those opinions with a grain of salt, but I think it is important.
It helps create better art when people are honest about it.
And so we've created a really cool thing with The Hook that makes... that permissive.
But anyway, so the way this works is we've had a bunch of songwriters sign up.
I've got their numbers in this hopper here corresponding with their names.
I'm going to pull them randomly and they're going to come up and play a song and then we're going to give our feedback on it.
This is not a competition, but we do have some incentives.
If you come up and you play a good song, we're excited about it.
You get a hook patch, and if you do really, really good, then you can get the silver hook patch, and if you absolutely blow our minds, then you can get the coveted gold hook patch which allows you to come and play on the hook whenever you want circumvent the signups we have a gold patch winner here in the audience with us and if you're absolutely terrible we do have the dreaded bell but as everybody knows it's mostly just a prop uh I'm too much of a wuss to...
I'm seeing Rita.
Rita's ready to ding somebody this week.
I can tell.
But honestly, we just have had excellent songwriters.
There's just been no reason to use the bell.
So kudos to Austin.
Kudos to all you guys for just kicking butt.
So I'm going to pick the first number.
It's going to be number 40.
So number 40, get ready.
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