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Interview with Michael Kirkpatrick
01/27/2025
Interview with Michael Kirkpatrick
In this hour-long podcast episode (edited down from a three-hour conversation), folk/Americana musician Michael Kirkpatrick shares insights into his artistic journey and creative process with co-hosts John and Tracy Suchocki. With hundreds of songs in his catalog, Kirkpatrick explains how his songwriting has evolved over the years. Today he considers that his best works emerge when melody, lyrics, and syllabification come together simultaneously. His technical mastery spans opera-trained vocals, Travis-style guitar fingerpicking, and mandolin flat-picking. Drawing from decades of touring experience Kirkpatrick discusses the challenges of building and maintaining an audience, including the delicate balance of handling requests for free performances. The interview, punctuated by live performances of "Away-O," "Back to Colorado," and "Path," concludes with practical wisdom about post-performance recovery (advocating to "get out of your mind, and into your body") and his ultimate mission of "bringing joy to people." Throughout the conversation, Kirkpatrick emerges as a witty and considerate artist with exceptional recall and dedication to his craft.
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